Kurla psycho killer arrested

MUMBAI – A psycho-killer wanted in the rape and murder of three minor girls in Kurla suburb of north-east Mumbai was arrested Thursday, police said.

“We arrested 19-year-old Javed Shaikh and presented him in the Vikhroli Court. He has been remanded to police custody for 14 days,” said zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Dilip Sawant. … Read more : Kurla psycho killer arrested.

Maoists mutilated bodies of slain securitymen

RAIPUR – Doctors, who performed autopsies of the 26 security personnel killed in a Maoist ambush in Chhattisgargh Tuesday, were stunned to find that at least 10 men had their hands and legs chopped off and throats slit.

“All the 26 bodies were bullet-ridden, but we found some 10 bodies with heads smashed, legs and hands … Read more >>>.

Hearing adjourned on Rathore plea till Friday

CHANDIGARH – The Punjab and Haryana High Court Thursday adjourned till Friday the hearing on the bail plea and revision petition of disgraced former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore, convicted for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra who later committed suicide.

Rathore was sentenced to 18 months rigorous imprisonment by the district and sessions court of Chandigarh. He …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Hearing adjourned on Rathore plea till Friday.

BP oil spill, gushing more than 2 months, nears somber record as Gulf of Mexico’s biggest ever

BP spill nears a somber record as Gulf’s biggest

NEW ORLEANS – BP’s massive oil spill will become the largest ever in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday based on the highest of the federal government’s estimates, an ominous record that underscores the oil giant’s dire need to halt the gusher.
The oil that’s spewed for two …. Read the original article  : BP oil spill, gushing more than 2 months, nears somber record as Gulf of Mexico’s biggest ever.

Controlled release of water from swollen Iowa lake to test vulnerable Des Moines levee

Flood-wary Iowa residents plan for water release

DES MOINES, Iowa – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to slowly lower an inflatable dam Thursday to release some of the water that’s been building in a lake threatening to overflow and flood a Des Moines neighborhood.
The dam was installed as a temporary fix for the rapidly … Original source on Gaea Times at : Controlled release of water from swollen Iowa lake to test vulnerable Des Moines levee.

Scientist studying Indonesia’s last glacier says it will disappear in years, not decades

Indonesia’s last glacier will melt within years

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Lonnie Thompson spent years preparing for his expedition to the remote, mist-shrouded mountains of eastern Indonesia, hoping to chronicle the affect of global warming on the last remaining glacier in the Pacific. He’s worried he got there too late.
Even as he pitched his tent on top … Read more »»».

National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Alex weakens to Category 1 storm over Mexico

Hurricane Alex downgraded to Category 1 storm

MIAMI – The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Alex has weakened from a Category 2 to a Category 1 storm as it moves inland over northeastern Mexico.
The hurricane center reported early Thursday that the storm had sustained winds of 85 mph (137 kph). It says Alex is expected to … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Alex weakens to Category 1 storm over Mexico.

Former Goa minister denied anticipatory bail

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Thursday rejected a petition by former Goa tourism minister Mickky Pacheco seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the death of his alleged lover, 28-year-old Nadia Torrado.

Nadia died at a Chennai hospital May 30, 15 days after she allegedly consumed rat poison.
The vacation bench of the apex …. Source article  : Former Goa minister denied anticipatory bail.

Hurricane Alex drenches northern Mexico as it pushes inland; largely spares nearby Texas

Hurricane Alex drenches Mexico’s northern coast
SAN FERNANDO, Mexico – Hurricane Alex ripped off roofs, flooded streets and forced thousands of people to flee coastal fishing villages as it pushed into northern Mexico.
The Atlantic season’s first hurricane largely spared nearby Texas, which had prepared for a possible direct hit. While …. Source  : Hurricane Alex drenches northern Mexico as it pushes inland; largely spares nearby Texas.

Jail for man who threw shoe at Turkish PM

Seville (Spain), July 1 (IANS/EFE) The Kurdish man who threw a shoe at Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after an event in this southern Spanish city has been sentenced to three years in prison, the prosecutor’s office said.

The court “has not agreed to the … expulsion requested by the prosecutor, in view of his …. Original article  : Jail for man who threw shoe at Turkish PM.

Private tutor held for raping student

MUMBAI – A private tutor, who had been absconding for over a month, has been arrested for allegedly raping his minor student, police said Thursday.

Rajendra Nadar, 52, had been absconding since the victim’s family lodged a complaint against him with Khar Police, investigating officer B. Mukhedkar told IANS.
“According to the complaint, the accused had … Read : Private tutor held for raping student.

Punjab does a reality check as a ‘drugged’ state

CHANDIGARH – With Punjab emerging as a major transit and destination point for drugs coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the state government has begun a new campaign against drugs to check addiction and abuse among youth.

The state’s health department has commissioned a study on drug abuse in the border districts of Punjab to know …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Punjab does a reality check as a ‘drugged’ state.

Alex, Atlantic’s 1st hurricane of season, pounds Mexico’s Gulf coast as Category 2 storm

Alex hits Mexico’s Gulf coast as Cat 2 hurricane
SAN FERNANDO, Mexico – Hurricane Alex made landfall on Mexico’s Gulf coast as a powerful Category 2 storm Wednesday, spawning tornadoes in nearby Texas, forcing evacuations in both countries and whipping up high waves that frustrated oil-spill cleanup efforts and pushed …. Read the original article  : Alex, Atlantic’s 1st hurricane of season, pounds Mexico’s Gulf coast as Category 2 storm.

Forecasters: Hurricane Alex makes landfall in northeastern Mexico; winds about 105 mph.

Hurricane Alex makes landfall along Mexican coast
MIAMI – Forecasters say the first Atlantic hurricane of the season has made landfall in northeastern Mexico.
The Category 2 storm churning in the Gulf of Mexico has sustained winds of near 105 mph (155 kph). The National Hurricane Center says it made landfall about 10 p.m. EDT … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Forecasters: Hurricane Alex makes landfall in northeastern Mexico; winds about 105 mph..

Calif. man arrested in 1989 NH arson that killed family of 4, including 2 kids, in apartment

Calif. man arrested in 1989 NH fire that killed 4

CONCORD, N.H. – A recently created Cold Case Unit has brought criminal charges against a California man in the 1989 deaths of four family members in a New Hampshire apartment house arson, authorities said.
David McLeod was arrested Wednesday in California on four counts of second-degree murder …. Source article  : Calif. man arrested in 1989 NH arson that killed family of 4, including 2 kids, in apartment.

Alex, Atlantic’s 1st hurricane of season, nears Mexico, Texas coasts as Category 2 storm

Powerful hurricane Alex nears Mexico, Texas coasts
SAN FERNANDO, Mexico – Powerful Hurricane Alex neared landfall on Mexico’s northern Gulf coast Wednesday, spawning tornados in Texas, forcing evacuations in both countries and whipping up high waves that frustrated oil-spill cleanup efforts and pushed globs of crude onto beaches.
Alex strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Wildfire burning north of Flagstaff, Ariz., now fully contained after charring 15,000+ acres

Wildfire near Flagstaff, Ariz., fully contained

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – A wildfire burning four miles north of Flagstaff is fully contained after charring more than 15,000 acres.
U.S. Forest Service officials say the so-called Schultz Fire has burned an estimated 15,075 acres, or more than 23 square miles of scenic northern Arizona forest. It has cost more than … Read : Wildfire burning north of Flagstaff, Ariz., now fully contained after charring 15,000+ acres.

Jimmy Buffett puts on free show at sister’s restaurant on Ala. coast; hundreds show up

Free show by Jimmy Buffett along Alabama coast

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Oil weary residents on Alabama’s coast got a boost from Jimmy Buffett, who put on an impromptu free show at his sister’s restaurant Wednesday evening, bringing in hundreds of fans.
He sang crowd favorites including “Fins,” ”Pascagoula Run” and “Volcano” during a more than two-hour … Read : Jimmy Buffett puts on free show at sister’s restaurant on Ala. coast; hundreds show up.

New set of key straps were supplied before NYC crane collapse, witness says at rigger’s trial

Witness: New straps supplied before NYC crane fell

NEW YORK – The criminal trial surrounding one of the nation’s deadliest construction-crane collapses has honed in on claims that a worn polyester strap was used and broke at a key point in securing the towering crane. But the crane rigger had been provided with brand-new straps, a … Original source on Gaea Times at : New set of key straps were supplied before NYC crane collapse, witness says at rigger’s trial.

Searchers find 4 bodies inside wreckage of plane missing since Sunday in northwestern Montana

4 bodies found inside wreckage of missing plane

MOIESE, Mont. – Authorities found four bodies inside the wreckage of a small plane Wednesday on a rugged hillside in northwestern Montana, bringing a tragic end to a 2??-day search for a group of friends who went out for an afternoon sightseeing trip and never returned.
Family members awaiting … Original article on : Searchers find 4 bodies inside wreckage of plane missing since Sunday in northwestern Montana.

Malaysian Indian searches for missing daughter

KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysian Indian man and his Chinese wife have given up work to search for their two-year-old daughter who went missing about a month ago while on a walk with her mentally-ill grand-aunt.

G. Chandramohan, 24, and his wife Wong Lai Lan, 21, have said their daughter Nisha could have been … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Malaysian Indian searches for missing daughter.

War crimes trial: Dhaka fears ‘undue pressure’ from Middle East

DHAKA – The Bangladesh government fears “undue pressure” from Middle East countries, including a risk to jobs of millions of its citizens working there, as it prepares to try Islamists accused of “war crimes” during the 1971 freedom movement, says a report.

“A number of middle and top-ranking leaders said the government made the move (on …. Original source  : War crimes trial: Dhaka fears ‘undue pressure’ from Middle East.

29 killed in Mexico violence

MEXICO CITY – Twentynine people were killed in fights between rival drug gangs in Mexico, officials said.

Police have arrested nine people who were injured during the clashes that spread across the towns of Tubutama and Caborca in norhtern Mexico, Xinhua reported Friday.
Seven weapons and eight trucks were seized on the battle scenes, Jose Larrinaga [..] Read the original article: here.

Precious idol stolen from Jharkhand temple

RANCHI – A three-century-old idol of goddess Chhinmastika was stolen from Rajrappa temple of Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district Friday, police said.

According to police, the idol, made of precious stones was missing when the priests opened the temple at 4 a.m. Friday to perform Aarti (prayers).
“The priest had closed the temple at 10 p.m. Thursday night. …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Precious idol stolen from Jharkhand temple.

Volunteers, boat pilots ready to help clean up Gulf oil but left out; criticism mounts

Volunteers ready but left out of spill cleanup

NEW ORLEANS – BP and the Obama administration face mounting complaints that they are ignoring foreign offers of equipment and making little use of the fishing boats and volunteers available to help clean up what may now be the biggest spill ever in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Coast … Original article on : Volunteers, boat pilots ready to help clean up Gulf oil but left out; criticism mounts.

Four killed in Bihar boat capsize

PATNA – Four people drowned and around 40 were missing after a boat capsized in Gandak river in Bihar’s Bettiah district Friday morning, an official said.

Local people have recovered four bodies from the river and district administration officials have begun rescue operations, an official said.
Bettiah district is around 280 km from state capital Patna.
…. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Four killed in Bihar boat capsize.

Authorities to closely inspect leak in Des Moines levee; residents not told to leave

Des Moines Levee springs small leak; no evacuation

DES MOINES, Iowa – Authorities on Friday plan to closely inspect a leak in a vulnerable levee that protects a Des Moines’ Birdland neighborhood from a swollen river that swamped the downtown area two years ago.
Officials spotted the leak late Thursday, but declined to order residents of the … Read more : Authorities to closely inspect leak in Des Moines levee; residents not told to leave.

Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight headliner 2010 Essence Music Festival

Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys headline Essence fest

NEW ORLEANS – Celebrities and fans arrive en masse for the start of the annual Essence Music Festival, which is held over the Fourth of July weekend in New Orleans.
Grammy Award-winning singer Janet Jackson is among Friday’s opening night headliners for the ticketed concerts in the Louisiana Superdome, while …. Source article  : Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight headliner 2010 Essence Music Festival.

Paedophile priest gets 20-year jail

SYDNEY – A catholic priest was sentenced to 20 years in jail Friday by an Australian court which convicted him of sexually abusing children over a period of 18 years.

John Sidney Denham, 67, was jailed for 19 years and 10 months by Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court, with the judge saying many victims were left … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Paedophile priest gets 20-year jail.

Tamil Nadu school principal arrested in molestation case

CHENNAI – The principal of Kodaikanal Public School has been arrested for being an accomplice to school correspondent M.L. Bright who is absconding after a sexual harassment complaint filed by a Class Nine girl student, police said Friday.

“Sheeba Paul, 36, was arrested Thursday afternoon at Kodaikanal (520 km from here) and was remanded to custody. …. Source  : Tamil Nadu school principal arrested in molestation case.

One dead in Bangladesh in police firing

DHAKA – One person was killed and 33 were injured as police opened fire on agitating locals who were demanding a highway speed breaker in northern Bangladesh.

The police officer in charge of the area was suspended after Thursday’s incident on Dhaka-Mawa highway at Kuchiamora in Munshiganj district.
The locals demanded …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : One dead in Bangladesh in police firing.

After twin suicide bombs kill 42 at a Sufi shrine, some Pakistanis blame United States

Pakistanis blame US after shrine attack kills 42

LAHORE, Pakistan – Two suicide bombings that killed 42 at a popular Sufi shrine in Pakistan’s east stirred outrage in this terror-scarred nation Friday. Several people blamed the U.S. presence in Afghanistan for spurring the attacks, while some faulted a minority sect that itself was viciously targeted weeks …. Read the original article  : After twin suicide bombs kill 42 at a Sufi shrine, some Pakistanis blame United States.

Ballia boat accidents expose negligence of authorities

LUCKNOW – Could the lives of over 70 people who died when their boats capsized in Uttar Pradesh last month been saved? Yes, say officials, if civic agencies had seriously conducted the exercises meant for the safe operation of the boats.

On June 14, a boat capsized in the Ganga in Ballia district, killing 61 people …. Original article  : Ballia boat accidents expose negligence of authorities.

Small leak found at levee protecting Des Moines, Iowa, neighborhood; no evacuation planned

Leak found at levee guarding area of Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa – Authorities late Thursday found a small leak in a levee near downtown Des Moines, but officials said there was no imminent danger to a flood-prone neighborhood it protects and that residents had not been asked to leave.
The leak was discovered about 9 p.m. …. Read the original article  : Small leak found at levee protecting Des Moines, Iowa, neighborhood; no evacuation planned.

Seepage found at levee protecting Des Moines, Iowa, neighborhood; no evacuation planned

Seepage found at levee guarding part of Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa – Authorities say they found a small leak in a vulnerable levee near downtown Des Moines, Iowa, but that the neighborhood it is helping protect from flooding is not in imminent danger.
City Public Works Director Bill Stowe says authorities have not ordered residents to …. Source  : Seepage found at levee protecting Des Moines, Iowa, neighborhood; no evacuation planned.

Suicide bomb blasts at shrine in Pakistan’s Lahore city kill at least 37 people, wound 180

37 people killed in bomb blasts at Pakistan shrine

LAHORE, Pakistan – Two suicide bombers struck a popular Muslim shrine in Pakistan’s second largest city, killing 37 people and wounding 180 in the second major attack in Lahore in a month.
The bombers attacked late Thursday as thousands of people visited the Data Darbar shrine, where a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Don Coryell, innovative coach who redefined passing game in NFL, dies at 85

Innovative football coach Don Coryell dies at 85

SAN DIEGO – Don Coryell, one of the founding fathers of the modern passing game, has died. He was 85.
The San Diego Chargers confirmed Coryell died Thursday at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in suburban La Mesa. The team did not release the cause of death, but Coryell had been [..] Read the original article: here.

Afghan governor: 4 suicide attackers strike small inn in Kunduz city in northern Afghanistan

Afghan governor: Suicide attackers strike Kunduz

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan provincial governor says four suicide bombers have attacked a small inn in northern Afghanistan.
Kunduz provincial governor Mohammad Omar said Friday that two suicide bombers blew themselves up and two others entered the guest house Friday morning in Kunduz city.
He says one Afghan policeman was killed … Read : Afghan governor: 4 suicide attackers strike small inn in Kunduz city in northern Afghanistan.

Argentinean survives fall from eighth floor

Buenos Aires, July 2 (IANS/EFE) An Argentinean plumber fell from the eighth floor of an under-construction building but survived with only a broken arm, a media report said.

Raul Lopez, 37, who has been dubbed “the miracle man”, suffered the fall Wednesday while he was working on an air conditioning duct in a building in Cordoba …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Volunteers, boat pilots complaint: BP not enlisting our help to clean up massive Gulf spill

Volunteers ready but left out of oil spill cleanup

NEW ORLEANS – Many fishing boats signed up to skim oil sit idle in marinas. Some captains and deckhands say they have been just waiting around for instructions while drawing checks from BP of more than $1,000 a day per vessel. Thousands of offers to clean beaches … Original source on Gaea Times at : Volunteers, boat pilots complaint: BP not enlisting our help to clean up massive Gulf spill.

Congo: Red Cross says 204 dead in oil tanker truck explosion

Congo: Red Cross says 204 dead in oil explosion

KINSHASA, Congo – At least 204 people were killed in Congo when a tanker truck transporting oil flipped over and exploded overnight in the east of the country, a Red Cross official said Saturday.
The truck was carrying fuel from neighboring Tanzania when it overturned at high speed … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Congo: Red Cross says 204 dead in oil tanker truck explosion.

200 killed in Congo explosion

KINSHASA – At least 200 people, including five UN peacekeepers, were killed Friday night when an oil tanker exploded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, media reports said Saturday.

According to the France 24 television, the deaths took place when the tanker overturned and exploded, Xinhua reported. The UN said Saturday that five peacekeepers were … Original source on Gaea Times at : 200 killed in Congo explosion.

Pacheco surrenders in court

PANAJI – Former Goa tourism minister Mickky Pacheco surrendered before a court in Margao Saturday in connection with the mysterious death of his alleged lover,

Pacheco’s interim bail plea was being heard in the court of Margao district and sessions judge U.V. Bakre, with a Crime Branch contingent waiting outside the court premises to arrest him. …. Read the original article  : here.

Congo: UN radio says 190 dead in oil truck explosion

Congo: UN radio says 190 dead in oil explosion

KINSHASA, Congo – A U.N.-funded radio station in Congo says 190 people have been killed when a truck carrying oil flipped over and exploded overnight in the east of the country.
Radio Okapi reported that the truck was carrying fuel from neighboring Tanzania when it overturned at high … Read : Congo: UN radio says 190 dead in oil truck explosion.

Lecturer poses as Maoist, held

RAIPUR – A lecturer has been arrested in Chhattisgarh for pretending to be a Maoist and seeking Rs.10 crore from the director of an engineering college where he works, police said Saturday.

Premshankar Sharma, 25, was arrested in Durg late Friday after he demanded the money in four instalments from Sourabh Rungta, director of the Rungta … Original source on Gaea Times at : Lecturer poses as Maoist, held.

100 killed in Congo explosion

KINSHASA – At least 100 people were killed Friday night when an oil tanker exploded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Xinhua reported Saturday.
… Read this article on Gaea Times at : 100 killed in Congo explosion.

Sulfuric Acid Endangers Sudbury Residents

Sudbury, Canada, (GaeaTimes.com)- The city of Sudbury in the Ontario region of Canada experienced one of the worst material leaks the past Thursday, a leak which could have caused immense harm to the inhabitants of the city. What is more scary is the fact that the leak in one of the city’s chemical plants …. Original source  : Sulfuric Acid Endangers Sudbury Residents.

Diver dies in possible underwater explosion while working on Gulf rig, unrelated to oil spill

Diver dies while working on rig unrelated to spill

CHICAGO – A waste services company says a diver performing maintenance on a client’s rig in the Gulf of Mexico, unrelated to the massive oil spill, has died after an underwater accident.
A statement from Chicago-based Veolia Environmental Services North America says the diver was working at a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Diver dies in possible underwater explosion while working on Gulf rig, unrelated to oil spill.

13 killed in Pakistan accident

ISLAMABAD – At least 13 people were killed and five injured when a van packed with tourists fell into a ravine in northern Pakistan Saturday.

The accident occurred at Nousehri in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani Kashmir, Xinhua said.
…. Original article  : 13 killed in Pakistan accident.

Former Goa minister surrenders

PANAJI – Former Goa Minister Mickky Pacheco Saturday surrendered to a court here in connection with the death of his alleged lover.

Pacheco, charged with culpable homicide following the death in Chennai of 28-year-old woman Nadia Torrado, was underground for nearly a month as the police began to look for him.
… Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Former Goa minister surrenders.

Search to resume Saturday for climber missing near Mount Rainier summit

Climber missing near Mount Rainier summit
ASHFORD, Wash. – A day of searching for a 57-year-old climber who unclipped his rope and vanished near Mount Rainier’s summit has ended without locating the man, a National Park Service spokeswoman said Friday night.

The search for Eric Lewis of Duvall, Wash., involved teams of Park Service climbing rangers and … Read more >>>.

Man arrested in fatal boat crash near Statue of Liberty; his 3 young kids emerge unscathed

Dad arrested in fatal crash near Statue of Liberty

NEW YORK – A boater has been arrested in a fatal crash near the Statue of Liberty that left his wife and three young children unscathed.
Police say that charges against the 39-year-old man are still pending, and they haven’t yet released his name. He was out on … Original source on Gaea Times at : Man arrested in fatal boat crash near Statue of Liberty; his 3 young kids emerge unscathed.

Eight killed in Colombia shooting

BOGOTA – At least eight people were killed and nine seriously injured when a group of armed men opened fire at a bar in Colombia, officials said.

The armed men arrived Friday morning at a bar in Envigado in northwest Colombia and shot at the people inside, police official Edgar Munoz said.
Antioquia district governor Luis … Original article on : Eight killed in Colombia shooting.

Los Angeles City Council approves $2.5M payment to fire captains in racial discrimination case

City approves $2.5M payout to fire captains

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council has approved a $2.5 million payment to two white fire captains who won a racial discrimination case in 2008 involving a black firefighter who was fed dog food.
The City Council approved the payment Friday for fire Capt. Chris Burton and Capt. … Read more »».

Bureau of Land Management revises size estimates of wildfire northeast of Las Vegas

BLM officials revise estimates of Moapa wildfire

LAS VEGAS – A spark from a wood chipper started a wildfire that destroyed 15 buildings in a ranch community northeast of Las Vegas, and an illegal campfire was blamed for another blaze that forced the evacuation of mountain hamlets northwest of the city, officials said Friday.
No serious injuries …. Read the original article  : here.

Boat collision kills 1, injures 2 near Statue of Liberty; NYPD investigating

Boat collision kills 1 near Statue of Liberty

NEW YORK – Two pleasure boats have collided near the Statue of Liberty, killing one person and injuring two others.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Thomas McKenzie says the Friday evening crash in New York Harbor near Liberty Island killed a boater. Two other boaters have been taken to …. Original article  : Boat collision kills 1, injures 2 near Statue of Liberty; NYPD investigating.

Death toll in Mexico flooding from former Hurricane Alex rises to 6

6 dead in Mexico in floods caused by Alex
MEXICO CITY – The death toll in Mexico from flooding caused by former Hurricane Alex has risen to six, authorities said Friday.

Nuevo Leon state Civil Defense Director Jorge Camacho said the victims died in and around the northern city of Monterrey.
President Felipe Calderon toured damaged areas of … Read more >>>.

2 pleasure boats collide near Liberty Island in NYC, at least 2 injured but conditions unknown

2 boats collide near Liberty Island in NYC

NEW YORK – New York City police say two pleasure boats have collided in the waters near the Statue of Liberty, and at least two people were injured.
Police and U.S. Coast Guard emergency crews transported two patients to hospitals in New Jersey on Friday. Their conditions weren’t immediately …. Original source  : 2 pleasure boats collide near Liberty Island in NYC, at least 2 injured but conditions unknown.

Serbian state TV website hacked

BELGRADE – Suspected Kosovo Albanian hackers attacked the website of Serbia’s state-run Radio Television Serbia (RTS) and uploaded headlines and bylines related to Kosovo, a media report said.

The hackers gained access to the website thrice Friday evening, twice during news reports pertaining to Kosovo and a third time when the recent diplomatic activities of Serbian …. Original source  : Serbian state TV website hacked.

Chavez says Salvadoran man detained in Venezuela is suspect in Cuba bombings

Chavez: Detained Salvadoran wanted in Cuba

CARACAS, Venezuela – A Salvadoran man wanted by Cuba as a suspect in a series of bombings was arrested with a false passport at Caracas’ airport, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday.
Chavez said the suspect, Francisco Chavez Abarca, was detained upon arrival Thursday by Venezuelan intelligence agents and is accused … Read : Chavez says Salvadoran man detained in Venezuela is suspect in Cuba bombings.

42 bodies pulled from landslide in SW China, 57 still missing with no signs of life detected

42 bodies recovered from landslide in SW China

BEIJING – Rescuers pulled 42 bodies from a landslide in southwest China, and 57 people remained missing nearly a week after the disaster with no signs of life detected, the Xinhua News Agency said Sunday.
More than 700 rescuers and 26 excavators were digging at the site of the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 42 bodies pulled from landslide in SW China, 57 still missing with no signs of life detected.

Controversial question paper: Professor’s hand cut off

MUVATTUPUZHA – A college professor, currently on bail for preparing a inflammatory question paper, had his right palm chopped off by a group of eight unidentified people Sunday morning, police said.

T.J. Joseph was returning home with his family after attending morning prayers when a group of people in a van pulled him out of his … Original source on Gaea Times at : Controversial question paper: Professor’s hand cut off.

World Cup replica filled with cocaine seized

BOGOTA – Colombian police confiscated a replica of the World Cup trophy filled with 11 kg of cocaine that was being sent by mail to Spain, officials said.

Anti-narcotics police commander General Francisco Patino said Saturday that agents had inspected the package at a postal warehouse after a scan showed a design imperfection.
“It is the … Original article on : World Cup replica filled with cocaine seized.

Scribe murder case: Accused alleges torture in jail

NEW DELHI – One of the four accused in the murder of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan has alleged that he was beaten up inside the Rohini jail as he refused to bribe the prison authorities.

Amit Shukla approached a court June 25, alleging that he was beaten up for several days.
“An application has been moved before …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Scribe murder case: Accused alleges torture in jail.

Couple found dead in Haryana, police suspect honour killing

FATEHABAD – A teenaged boy and a girl were found dead under mysterious circumstances at Smain village of Haryana’s Fathehabad district Sunday morning, police said, suspecting it to be an another case of “honour killing”.

“Shyam Mohammed and Reena, around 17 to 18 years of age, were found dead in the open fields. Poison tablets were …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Giant oil skimmer being tested, offers latest hope to scoop millions of gallons of oiled water

Hopes ride on giant oil skimmer in Gulf of Mexico

NEW ORLEANS – The latest hopes are riding on a massive new skimmer to clean oil from near the spewing well in the Gulf of Mexico, while a local Louisiana parish’s plan to block the slick has been rejected by federal officials.
A 48-hour test of the …. Original article  : Giant oil skimmer being tested, offers latest hope to scoop millions of gallons of oiled water.

12 killed by gunmen in Pakistan

KARACHI – At least 12 people were killed by unknown gunmen overnight in Pakistan’s Karachi city, a media report said Sunday.

Assailants gunned down 12 people including a security guard in different parts of the city, DawnNews reported.
Targeted killings in Karachi take place almost every day over the past two months. Earlier last week, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 12 killed by gunmen in Pakistan.

Exhibition in China is all about corruption

BEIJING – A city in China has come up with a unique exhibition, which it hopes will lead to a decrease in corruption in government offices.

Chongqing city has put up this exhibition dedicated to clean government, which cost the local government more than 23 million yuan ($3.4 million). The exhibition shows actual bribes – in … Read more : Exhibition in China is all about corruption.

Gen. Petraeus formally assumes command in Afghanistan; says ‘we are in this to win’

Petraeus: ‘We are in this to win’ in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – Gen. David Petraeus formally assumed command of the 130,000-strong international force in Afghanistan on Sunday, telling NATO and Afghan officials “we are in this to win” despite rising casualties and growing skepticism about the direction of the nearly 9-year-old war.
Petraeus received two flags – …. Original article  : Gen. Petraeus formally assumes command in Afghanistan; says ‘we are in this to win’.

15 killed in Philippines accident

MANILA – Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured when an overloaded bus crashed into a wall in the central Philippines, police said Sunday.

Police said the brakes of the bus failed, forcing the driver to slam the vehicle into the wall along a highway in Toledo City in Cebu province, 585 km south of Manila. …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 15 killed in Philippines accident.

Carjackers growing net savvy

WELLINGTON – Beware before clicking pictures of your car as it may become the next target of carjackers.

Thieves are using Trade Me and other online shopping networks as catalogue where vehicles are displayed along with number plates, according to New Zealand police.
The carjackers track down owners of desirable vehicles from number plates before making … Original source on Gaea Times at : Carjackers growing net savvy.

Kevin Harvick leads RCR charge to win at Daytona

Harvick wins wild race at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Kevin Harvick lined up next to his Richard Childress Racing teammate for a two-lap sprint to the finish at Daytona International Speedway.

He and Clint Bowyer didn’t bother to talk strategy.
“It was every man for himself at that point,” Harvick said.
The Sprint Cup points leader sailed to …. Source article  : Kevin Harvick leads RCR charge to win at Daytona.

Poles choose between acting leader and dead president’s twin brother in presidential runoff

Poles pick president in final round of voting

WARSAW, Poland – Poles voted in a presidential runoff election on Sunday that pits the identical twin brother of the last head of state, who was killed in a plane crash, against the acting president.
Both men, Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Bronislaw Komorowski, are former anti-communist activists with conservative, Catholic … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Poles choose between acting leader and dead president’s twin brother in presidential runoff.

15 killed, 48 injured in bus crash in central Philippines; 2nd deadly recent accident in area

15 killed, 48 injured in bus crash in Philippines

CEBU, Philippines – Fifteen people were killed after the brakes on a speeding bus packed with passengers failed and the vehicle slammed into a concrete barrier in the central Philippines. Another 48 people were injured, police said Sunday.
The bus carrying mostly homebound factory workers was traveling at … Read more : 15 killed, 48 injured in bus crash in central Philippines; 2nd deadly recent accident in area.

Six of family murdered in Bihar

PATNA – Six members of a family were murdered in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur town early Sunday, police said.

They were shot dead in Kharbar residential locality in Muzaffarpur, about 70 km from here, by unidentified assailants.
The murders have led to panic among the residents of the area who demanded that the culprits be caught soon.
… Original article on : Six of family murdered in Bihar.

Child survives five-storey fall

BELGRADE – A four-year-old boy miraculously survived a five-storey fall from a balcony in Croatia, a media report said.

The child followed his mother onto the balcony and then fell over in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, Saturday. He only sustained a broken leg. He apparently landed on a bush, which cushioned his fall, Xinhua reported.
… Original source on Gaea Times at : Child survives five-storey fall.

Three of family commit suicide after panchayat boycott

UDAIPUR – Three members of a family committed suicide in a Rajasthan village after a panchayat boycotted them for allegedly practising witchcraft, police said Sunday.

Khetnath, 60, his wife Nathibai, 55, and their son Naresh, 27, killed themselves late Friday. They were residents of Gaamdapal village near Salumber town, over 60 km from here.
“We came …. Source article  : Three of family commit suicide after panchayat boycott.

Andy Najar’s goal helps DC United draw 1-1 with Earthquakes

Najar scores to help United draw Earthquakes

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Rookie Andy Najar scored in the 54th minute to help D.C. United tie 1-1 with the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
Najar beat his marker and volleyed home a cross from Stephen King at the far post for his second career MLS goal. The 17-year-old joined … Read more : Andy Najar’s goal helps DC United draw 1-1 with Earthquakes.

One sex abuse a week in Australian taxis

SYDNEY – At least one complaint of a “sexual nature” is lodged every week against a taxi driver in Australia’s southeastern state of New South Wales despite the cabs being tracked with CCTV cameras and global positioning radio devices, media reports have said.

Even though taxis are regarded as the safest form of public transport, 20 … Read more : One sex abuse a week in Australian taxis.

South Korean police say 12 dead after bus plummets off elevated road on way to airport

12 dead as bus plunges off elevated road in SKorea

SEOUL, South Korea – A bus plunged off an elevated road as it headed to South Korea’s main airport, killing 12 passengers and injuring another dozen people.
The bus struck a guardrail as it tried to avoid a broken-down car and plummeted about 30 feet (10 meters) … Original source on Gaea Times at : South Korean police say 12 dead after bus plummets off elevated road on way to airport.

Bellevue Iowa Parade Tragedy

BELLEVUE (GaeaTimes.com)- The Bellevue Police on Sunday evening mentioned to media sources that a 60-year-old Iowa woman who was admitted to the University of Iowa Hospital at Iowa City on Sunday morning in critical condition had not been able to recuperate from her injury and died. Police however have not disclosed the identity of …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

China jails US geologist on ’state secret’ charges

BEIJING – A Chinese court sentenced a Chinese-born US geologist to eight years in prison Monday after convicting him of illegally obtaining an oil database that was deemed a state secret.

The Beijing No.1 Intermediate People’s Court found geologist Xue Feng guilty of attempting to “obtain and traffic state secrets” by buying the database on China’s …. Original source  : China jails US geologist on ’state secret’ charges.

BP says oil spill costs rise above $3 billion, $147 million paid to settle individual claims

BP oil spill costs rise above $3 billion
LONDON – BP says that it has now spent more than $3 billion in attempts to stop an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico and to settle damage claims.

The oil company said Monday that is has spent $3.12 billion so far in responding to the spill, attempting …. Source  : BP says oil spill costs rise above $3 billion, $147 million paid to settle individual claims.

Australian pleads not guilty to arson, ordered to stand trial over deadly wildfire last year

Australian to be tried over 10 deaths in wildfire

MELBOURNE, Australia – A man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he deliberately started one of the deadly wildfires that swept through southern Australia last year.
The fires in Victoria state in February 2009 were Australia’s deadliest, killing 173 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes. Brendan …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Man dies watching vampire romance movie

WELLINGTON – A 23-year-old man’s body was found Sunday night at a cinema hall that was screening the vampire movie “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”.

The body of the man was found in the movie theatre at the Reading complex on Courtenay Place shortly before 8.30 p.m., the police said.
New Zealand Herald quoted Detective Senior …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Man dies watching vampire romance movie.

24 killed in China bus fire

BEIJING – Twenty-four people were killed and 19 injured after a fire engulfed a company’s shuttle bus in east China’s Jiangsu Province, Xinhua reported Monday.

The bus was carrying 45 employees of a steel company in Wuxi city Sunday night when the fire broke out, DPA said, citing a report of state broadcaster China … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 24 killed in China bus fire.

Suicide car bomber attacks paramilitary base in NW Pakistan, kills 1 soldier

Suicide car bomber kills soldier in NW Pakistan

MINGORA, Pakistan – A suicide car bomber shot at guards and detonated his explosives at the gate of a paramilitary base in northwestern Pakistan before dawn Monday, killing one soldier and wounding at least seven other people, said security officials.
The bomber first tried to force his way onto …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Suicide car bomber attacks paramilitary base in NW Pakistan, kills 1 soldier.

Bomb scare at Kennedy Airport in New York

NEW YORK – About 300 passengers were evacuated at John F. Kennedy Airport here Sunday after a bomb scare, authorities said.

Terminal One of the international airport reopened Sunday evening, the New York Post reported.
A woman called the authorities that there was a bomb inside the building, a Port Authority spokesman said. An unidentified …. Source  : Bomb scare at Kennedy Airport in New York.

Brawls, crimes ruining Chandigarh night life

CHANDIGARH – Planning to party into the wee hours or go for a late night stroll in Chandigarh? Beware of brawls, road rage, drunken driving and molestation incidents that have seen a spurt in this city and are spoling plans to promote night tourism.

“Chandigarh roads have become very unsafe at night as you will certainly … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Brawls, crimes ruining Chandigarh night life.

50 missing as boat capsizes in Bangladesh

DHAKA – At least 50 people, including women and children, were missing after a boat with about 100 passengers on board capsized Sunday night in a river in Bangladesh.

The boat left the Tanbazar ghat for Bandar area at around 10 p.m. As it reached the middle of the river Shitalakkhya, a sand-laden cargo boat … Original source on Gaea Times at : 50 missing as boat capsizes in Bangladesh.

Nine die from gas poisoning in China mine

BEIJING – At least nine miners died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a colliery in China’s Henan province Sunday night, officials said Monday.

Rescuers had found bodies of three miners under the mine shaft, and later brought out six others and took them to hospital, where they succumbed, Liu Xianghua, deputy director of the Coal Mining …. Source  : Nine die from gas poisoning in China mine.

JFK Airport terminal in NYC reopens after bomb scare that turns out to be false alarm

NYC airport terminal reopens after false alarm

NEW YORK – A bomb scare that turned out to be a false alarm forced the evacuation of a terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport for two hours Sunday.
John Kelly, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the three main New … Read more : JFK Airport terminal in NYC reopens after bomb scare that turns out to be false alarm.

Horses run out of control at US independence day parade

WASHINGTON – Two horses ran out of control and rammed into spectators during the American Independence Day parade in Iowa, and injured 24 people including children, police said.

The horses ran out of control after they rubbed their heads against each other, causing one’s bridle to come off. They then took off, taking the wagon they … Read more »».

Shuttle bus carrying steel workers catches fire in central China, killing 24 people

State media: Bus fire in central China kills 24

BEIJING – A fire on a shuttle bus carrying steel factory workers in central China killed 24 people and injured 19, state media reported Monday.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the fire happened Sunday night in Wuxi, a city close to Shanghai. The bus served night shift … Read more »».

18 killed in Zimbabwe accident

HARARE – At least 18 people were killed and 31 injured when the bus in which they were travelling rammed into the back of a stationary truck in Zimbabwe, police said.

The accident occurred around 4.30 a.m. Sunday near Selous, about 80 km southwest of Harare, when a bus travelling from Gokwe rammed into the rear … Read more : 18 killed in Zimbabwe accident.

Cocaine-made FIFA World Cup replica seized

BOGOTA – A replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy, made of 11 kg cocaine, was seized at the international airport here in the Colombian capital, Colombia Airports anti-drug officials said.

Airport authorities found the 36-cm-tall statue during a routine security check at a mail warehouse at the airport, Xinhua quoted airports anti-drug chief Jose Piedrahita …. Original article  : Cocaine-made FIFA World Cup replica seized.

Huge cache of drugs seized in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU – A huge consignment of hashish – 105 kg – hidden in sacks of potatoes and meant to be sent to China was seized here in the Nepal capital by the Narcotic Drugs Control Law Enforcement Unit.

The hashish was found wrapped in packaging tape and hidden inside five sacks of potatoes kept on the … Read : Huge cache of drugs seized in Kathmandu.

Quake with magnitude of 6.3 rattles northern Japan, no danger of tsunami

Quake with magnitude of 6.3 rattles northern Japan

TOKYO – A quake with a magnitude of 6.3 jolted northern Japan early Monday, but there was no danger of a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The quake occurred off the coast of Iwate, some 310 miles (500 kilometers) north of Tokyo at 7:08 am (2208 GMT) Monday. … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Quake with magnitude of 6.3 rattles northern Japan, no danger of tsunami.

Air ambulance crashes just after takeoff from remote West Texas airport, killing all 5 aboard

5 killed in West Texas air ambulance crash

ALPINE, Texas – An air ambulance crashed shortly after takeoff from a West Texas airport Sunday, killing all five people on board.
The crash happened about 12:15 a.m. about a mile east of Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport, about 200 miles southeast of El Paso. The twin-engine Cessna 421 had just …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Some oil spill events from Sunday, July 4, 2010

Some oil spill events from Sunday, July 4, 2010

A summary of events Sunday, July 4, Day 75 of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that began with the April 20 explosion and fire on the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, owned by Transocean Ltd. and leased by BP PLC, which is in charge of cleanup and … Read : Some oil spill events from Sunday, July 4, 2010.

4,000 protestors arrested in Delhi during shutdown

NEW DELHI – Over 4,000 protestors were arrested and a similar number detained in the Indian capital during the countrywide shutdown called by opposition parties against rising fuel prices, a police officer said Tuesday.

“We arrested 4,142 protestors from various areas. We had made elaborate security arrangements with 70,000 police personnel deployed and additional forces were … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 4,000 protestors arrested in Delhi during shutdown.

Death toll of military plane crash in Romania rises to 12

Romania: deaths in military plane crash rise to 12

BUCHAREST, Romania – Officials say the death toll in the crash of a Romanian military plane has risen to 12.
The Defense Ministry says the Antonov AN-2 had 14 people on board. It said Tuesday that two survivors were being treated in a Bucharest hospital.
The plane took off … Read more >>>.

Nepal police kill three kidnappers

KATHMANDU – Three people, alleged to be kidnappers who opened fire on a police patrol, were killed in a forested area in southern Nepal Tuesday.

Police said a posse searching for five people who were kidnapped while carting cement in a tractor in Banke in Nepal’s Terai plains were tipped off that the men were being … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Nepal police kill three kidnappers.

March of thousands for captive soldier Gilad Schalit divides Israel on sensitive issue

Mass march for captive soldier divides Israel

TEL AVIV, Israel – In Tel Aviv, thousands marched to press Israel’s government to do whatever it takes to win freedom for a soldier captured four years ago by Gaza militants. Near Israel’s border with Gaza, thousands more gathered for a concert led by a world-famous conductor to press …. Read the original article  : March of thousands for captive soldier Gilad Schalit divides Israel on sensitive issue.

Tar balls hit Texas beach; oil from blown-out ocean well washes up along all 5 Gulf states

Oil hits all Gulf states; Texas tar balls found

TEXAS CITY, Texas – More than two months after oil gushing from a blown-out well on the ocean floor first reached Louisiana, the relentless spread of crude has now washed up on every Gulf state after a bucket’s worth of tar balls hit a Texas beach.
The crude …. Original source  : Tar balls hit Texas beach; oil from blown-out ocean well washes up along all 5 Gulf states.

Post-holiday temps soaring in the East; utilities bracing for possible record usage

Soaring temps might press utilities in eastern US

NEW YORK – With a scorching holiday weekend in the rearview mirror, a real summer sizzle is about to wash over parts of the United States.
After an extended Fourth of July weekend when temperatures inched into at least the 90s from Maine to Texas and into the Southwest … Read more >>>.

In post-Taliban era, Afghan rock bands capture angst of youth growing up in war-torn country

Afghan indie band rocks Kabul in post-Taliban era

KABUL, Afghanistan – Guitars strapped to their backs, three trim Afghan youths flash rock star smiles at armed guards who wave them through the steel doors of a private club.
High walls and barbed wire protect the neatly trimmed garden inside from Kabul’s troubled streets. It’s here that the …. Read the original article  : here.

Bomb blast in front of Nepal parliament

KATHMANDU – A bomb exploded in front of Nepal’s interim parliament in Kathmandu Tuesday, creating panic and triggering intense police search.

However, there were no casualties, police said.
Security forces found pamphlets scattered in the New Baneshwor area, claiming the blast was the handiwork of a new organisation, Dynamic Youth Force.
Though the new budget session … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Bomb blast in front of Nepal parliament.

Man attacks shopkeeper as condom was too small

LONDON – A man attacked a shopkeeper in Britain after the condom he had purchased split during sex as it was too small.

Jude Ukachukwu went to the store owner and sought a refund, saying his contraceptive had split during sex, The Sun reported Tuesday.
An altercation took place when shopkeeper Sasisedaran Sellathurai refused …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Man attacks shopkeeper as condom was too small.

Three sentenced to death in China

BEIJING – Three inmates, who broke out of prison last October, were sentenced to death in China Tuesday.

The prisoners were serving life sentence when they killed a guard and escaped the prison in northern China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinhua reported.
… Read more >>.

Bangladesh Islamists to counter 1971 `war crimes’ charge

DHAKA – Top leaders of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), who have been detained, have said they will counter the charge of being engaged in targeting unarmed civilians during the 1971 freedom movement.

They have reportedly confessed to allocating Taka 6.6 million ($94,754) for a three-month campaign to counter the charge as government prepares to hold what it …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Artefacts stolen from Dhaka museum, replaced with fakes

DHAKA – Nine gold medals and 17 antique silver coins, some belonging to the erstwhile Tripura state, were stolen from the National Museum here and replaced with bronze and steel replicas, a media report said Tuesday.

The authorities are not sure about how many objects were stolen from their store over the years as they have …. Original article  : Artefacts stolen from Dhaka museum, replaced with fakes.

Father kills three minor daughters in Uttar Pardesh

LUCKNOW – Unable to deal with his poverty, a father slit the throats of his three minor daughters in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi district early Tuesday, police said.

Ahmad, 40, killed his three daughters, aged between 6-14 years, in his house at Kamauli village, about 300 km from here.
Ahmad has confessed to his crime. [..] Read the original article: here.

Fire at Indian restaurant in Australia

SYDNEY – Four people had a miraculous escape after an explosion in an Indian restaurant severely damaged the property.

Police are hunting for two men seen running from the scene after the blaze at the restaurant in Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, broke out Monday night, the Australian news agency AAP reported.
Four people in a residential … Read : Fire at Indian restaurant in Australia.

Small plane crash near NJ airport kills doctor, 2 relatives after apparent aborted landing

Plane crash near NJ airport kills doctor, 2 others

FAIRFIELD, N.J. – A small airplane aborted a landing at an airport before crashing at a nearby commercial strip and bursting into flames, killing a doctor and two relatives, authorities said.
It appeared the plane was descending for a landing at the Essex County Airport in Fairfield when …. Original article  : Small plane crash near NJ airport kills doctor, 2 relatives after apparent aborted landing.

Most wanted Nazi fugitive hiding in Germany

LONDON – A member of German dictator Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party who escaped from a Holland prison after being convicted of mass murder in 1947 has been hiding in Germany, a report said.

Evil Klaas Faber, 88, looked like an ordinary old age pensioner. But his white hair and glasses hide a shocking past as a … Read more »».

Mexican state of Coahuila hit by flooding, evacuates hundreds, closes bridge on Texas border

Mexican state hit by flooding along Texas border

CIUDAD ACUNA, Mexico – Hundreds of people were evacuated and a border bridge closed in northern Mexico on Monday after days of rain caused flooding and water to swell behind a dam.
Authorities in Coahuila state temporarily closed the border bridge in Ciudad Acuna as a precautionary measure after … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Mexican state of Coahuila hit by flooding, evacuates hundreds, closes bridge on Texas border.

Small plane crash near NJ airport kills pilot, both passengers after apparent aborted landing

Small plane crash near northern NJ airport kills 3

FAIRFIELD, N.J. – Authorities say a small airplane has crashed near an airport in northern New Jersey just after the pilot apparently aborted a landing, killing three people.
Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura says it appears the plane was descending for a landing at the Essex County Airport …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Florida man who participated in Hoka Hey motorcycle race dies in Alaska crash

Hoka Hey race participant dies in Alaska crash

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A second participant in a cross-country Harley-Davidson race has died – this time in a crash on an Alaska highway.
Alaska State Troopers say 63-year-old Kenneth J. Greene of Ocala, Fla., died after wrecking his motorcycle Sunday afternoon on the Glenn Highway near the Matanuska Glacier.
Troopers … Original source on Gaea Times at : Florida man who participated in Hoka Hey motorcycle race dies in Alaska crash.

Firefighters contain one Nevada wildfire, report progress on another northeast of Las Vegas

Crews contain one NV fire, make progress on other

LAS VEGAS – Firefighters in Nevada have contained one fire in the mountains northwest of Las Vegas and report good progress on another that burned more than a dozen buildings in a small ranching town.
The Bureau of Land Management says the fire that burned 600 acres and … Original source on Gaea Times at : Firefighters contain one Nevada wildfire, report progress on another northeast of Las Vegas.

Officials: NATO airstrike accidentally kills 5 Afghan troops on patrol in eastern province

NATO airstrike accidentally kills 5 Afghan troops

KABUL, Afghanistan – NATO mistakenly killed five of its Afghan army allies in an airstrike Wednesday while the Afghans were attacking insurgents in the country’s east, officials said.
An Afghan defense official condemned the latest “friendly fire” deaths, which came at a time when international troops are trying to improve … Original source on Gaea Times at : Officials: NATO airstrike accidentally kills 5 Afghan troops on patrol in eastern province.

NATO airstrike accidentally kills five Afghan soldiers

KABUL – A NATO airstrike Wednesday mistakenly hit an Afghan army unit in southern Afghanistan, killing five soldiers, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

The soldiers were conducting an anti-insurgent operation in Andar district of Ghazni province early Wednesday, General Zahir Azimi told a press conference.
A plane of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) targeted … Read this article on Gaea Times at : NATO airstrike accidentally kills five Afghan soldiers.

Hunt on for mastermind of fake visa racket

NEW DELHI – Security agencies are looking for the man who arranged fake visas for 27 people who were arrested at the airport here Tuesday, officials said Wednesday.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) arrested the 27 men from the Indira Gandhi International Airport for trying to leave for Dubai.
The call centres of two domestic …. Original source  : Hunt on for mastermind of fake visa racket.

Cash-paid deckhands, other laborers hurt by oil spill may lack documentation for BP claims

Many deckhands lack documentation for spill claim
HOPEDALE, La. – In a way, they are the invisible victims of the BP oil disaster: deck hands and other day laborers who get paid in cash, don’t receive W2 forms, may not file tax returns and have little or no way of proving they are losing … Read more >>>.

States hope roadside signs raise awareness about drunken driving, replace homemade memorials

States honor drunken driving victims with signs

FLORISSANT, Mo. – Gail Rehme knows she’ll never shake the memory of that June night in 1984 – the late-night knock on the door, the hushed talk in the living room. Odd, the 10-year-old girl thought, that the pastor would come over so late.
The next morning, Gail’s father called … Original article on : States hope roadside signs raise awareness about drunken driving, replace homemade memorials.

Oil seeping into New Orleans’ Lake Pontchartrain latest environmental worry for waterway

This time it’s oil trouble for Lake Pontchartrain

NEW ORLEANS – Oil from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico is seeping into Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans, threatening another environmental disaster for the huge body of water that was rescued from pollution in 1990s.
The lake rebounded to once again become a bountiful fishing … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Oil seeping into New Orleans’ Lake Pontchartrain latest environmental worry for waterway.

Sheep ranchers in West aim to ease public’s worries after guard dog attacks mountain biker

Attack creates worries in West about sheep dogs

Two sheep dogs’ attack on a Colorado mountain biker has prompted ranchers in the West to seek better ways to manage the large dogs that protect their herds against predators.
The American Sheep Industry Association has been working with state groups and federal agencies to address the problem as …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Sheep ranchers in West aim to ease public’s worries after guard dog attacks mountain biker.

Ambala Floods Disrupt Normal Life

AMBALA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Heavy rains in the districts of Ambala and Kurukshetra in Haryana has led to flood-like conditions in the region. The rivers and canals in the region are overflowing and it is because of this that the rescue workers and government authorities have taken the decision to bar people from using the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Ambala Floods Disrupt Normal Life.

‘It’s just too hot’: Unrelenting sun scorches East Coast, with no respite from heat forecast

‘It’s just too hot’: East Coast scorched by heat

NEW YORK – It’s just no fun in the sun.
That was the conclusion in the streets of the Bronx as 14-year-old Miguel Pena and 13-year-old Vincent Quiles walked their bicycles up a hill on one of the hottest days in the past decade in the Northeast.
“Man, this …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : ‘It’s just too hot’: Unrelenting sun scorches East Coast, with no respite from heat forecast.

Unrelenting sun scorches East Coast, with no respite from heat forecast, humidity rising

East Coast scorched by heat, humidity rising

NEW YORK – There’s no relief anytime soon for the heat that’s been baking the Northeast.
The temperature broke records Tuesday in New York, where it hit 103 degrees, and in Philadelphia, at 102.
The National Weather Service says Wednesday is forecast to be almost as hot and more humid. Meteorologist …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Unrelenting sun scorches East Coast, with no respite from heat forecast, humidity rising.

‘Like a war zone’: Some NYC residents living behind barricades, checkpoints 9 years after 9/11

NYers still living behind post-9/11 checkpoints

NEW YORK – The street below Danny Chen’s window in lower Manhattan has changed over the last decade from a bustling four-lane thoroughfare to an empty road lined with police barricades.
To get home each day, Chen has to present his ID at a police checkpoint. When the officer lowers the …. Original source  : ‘Like a war zone’: Some NYC residents living behind barricades, checkpoints 9 years after 9/11.

Chinese official executed for corruption, rape

BEIJING – A senior officer of the Chinese justice department was executed Wednesday after being sentenced to death for corruption and rape.

The death sentence awarded to Wen Qiang, 55, former director of Chongqing Municipal Judicial Bureau, by a lower court April 14 was approved by the Chinese Supreme Court.
The Municipal Higher People’s Court May … Read more : Chinese official executed for corruption, rape.

For Canadian immigration, woman marries father, son

CHANDIGARH – This is one idea that may not have struck even story writers in Bollywood. In her desperate bid to get Canadian immigration, a woman from Punjab conned a millionaire father as well as his son into marrying her.

But her plans seem to have gone awry with not only the NRI father-son duo but … Original source on Gaea Times at : For Canadian immigration, woman marries father, son.

Acid attack on cop in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – Unidentified men threw acid on a 25-year-old constable at a police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi district Wednesday, an official said.

The incident took place inside the Adampur police station when some men assaulted Dinesh Sonkar and later threw acid on him before leaving the place.
“Sonkar’s condition is stated to be critical. We … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Acid attack on cop in Uttar Pradesh.

NATO says 3 American troops killed by roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan

3 US troops killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – The international force in Afghanistan says three American troops have been killed by a roadside bomb in the violence-wracked south.
A NATO statement says two troops died immediately after the blast Tuesday. A third died later that day. NATO said all three were Americans but … Original article on : NATO says 3 American troops killed by roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.

Dhaka presses graft charges against Khaleda Zia’s son

DHAKA – Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has pressed money-laundering charges against opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman and his business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun.

Rahman and Mamun siphoned Taka 204 million ($2.9 million) between 2003 and 2007, the ACC said in a chargesheet submitted Tuesday to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court here.
Living in … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Dhaka presses graft charges against Khaleda Zia’s son.

Haryana battles floods, warns against using NH 1

CHANDIGARH – Rescue operations were on at a war footing Wednesday in Haryana’s Ambala and Kurukshetra districts where major breaches in rivers and canals led to the flooding of vast areas, prompting authorities to warn against travelling on the busy National Highway 1 to New Delhi.

The army had to be requisitioned Tuesday evening after … Read : Haryana battles floods, warns against using NH 1.

Four students hurt in Himachal varsity clash

SHIMLA – Four students were injured early Wednesday when activists of two political outfits clashed in the Himachal Pradesh University here, police said.

“The clash between the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists took place around 2.30 a.m. over the illegal stay of four students in a university hostel,” … Read : Four students hurt in Himachal varsity clash.

AP IMPACT: Some 27,000 aging, abandoned wells in the Gulf possibly leaking but never inspected

AP IMPACT: Gulf awash in 27,000 abandoned wells

More than 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells lurk in the hard rock beneath the Gulf of Mexico, an environmental minefield that has been ignored for decades. No one – not industry, not government – is checking to see if they are leaking, an Associated Press investigation shows.
The … Read this article on Gaea Times at : AP IMPACT: Some 27,000 aging, abandoned wells in the Gulf possibly leaking but never inspected.

Teen swept away in creek amid Oklahoma City area flooding; storms also collapse concert tent

Teen swept away in creek amid Okla. City flooding

OKLAHOMA CITY – Emergency crews rescued stranded motorists and several children in a house trailer from flooded Oklahoma City streets but were searching for a teenage boy swept away by a creek.
Oklahoma City Police say two teens were swept away by high water Tuesday when they either …. Source  : Teen swept away in creek amid Oklahoma City area flooding; storms also collapse concert tent.

Southern California earthquake related to April’s Baja quake, no damage or injuries

Magnitude-5.4 quake strikes SoCal desert
LOS ANGELES – The earthquake that rattled through Southern California with only minor damage and no injuries came as no surprise to seismologists.

The 5.4-magnitude earthquake centered 28 miles south of Palm Springs was related to the powerful Easter Day temblor near the U.S-Mexico border, but was not an aftershock, researchers said.
California …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Southern California earthquake related to April’s Baja quake, no damage or injuries.

Sabotage suspected on passenger train in Kerala

MALAPPURAM – The brake pipes of a passenger train in Kerala were found snapped Thursday, said officials who suspect sabotage.

“We have reports that it (brake pipes) was cut, and it can only be done by exerting force and using an axe saw blade,” said a railway official on the condition of anonymity.
“Every … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Sabotage suspected on passenger train in Kerala.

Two held for passport racket

NEW DELHI – Two people have been arrested for allegedly cheating people by giving them fake passports and visas, police said Thursday.

Harshad and Upendra Singh Sidhoo have been arrested under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, police said.
“They would provide people fake passports. They collected Rs.2,000-Rs.5,000 from each person,” a police official … Read more >>.

12 killed by bombs in Baghdad on final day of Shiite religious holiday

12 killed in Baghdad on last day of Shiite holiday

BAGHDAD – At least 12 people were killed Thursday by bombs targeting pilgrims taking part in the final day of a Shiite religious holiday that draws hundreds of thousands of people to Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.
The deaths came one day after nearly 60 people were killed … Read more »».

Duck Boat Struck By Barge

PHILADELPHIA (GaeaTimes.com)- A Philadelphia tourist duck boat was struck by a barge in the Delaware River on Wednesday hurling all the 37 persons present on board into the water with the whereabouts of two of them still unknown. According to Coast Guard officials, ten of the persons who have been rescued were immediately shifted … Read more : Duck Boat Struck By Barge.

Four pilgrims die in road accident

LUCKNOW – At least four pilgrims, including two women, were killed and eight critically injured when their jeep was hit by a truck in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad district Thursday, police said.

The accident took place along the Varanasi-Allahabad highway some 200 km from Lucknow. The pilgrims were going to the Kade Manikpur Sheetla Devi dham in … Read more »»».

Cop killed as Maoists blast railway station, tracks (Second Lead)

RANCHI – One policeman was killed as Maoists blew up a railway station and rail tracks in Jharkhand Thursday, the second day of a two-day strike against the killing of one of their top leaders.

“In two separate incidents, Maoists blasted the building of Hehegara railway station and rail tracks near Nichitpur,” Amrendra Das, the public … Read more : Cop killed as Maoists blast railway station, tracks (Second Lead).

10-year-old gets gun licence in Britain

LONDON – A 10-year-old in Britain cannot legally buy cigarettes or alcohol but it now turns out that a child has been issued a licence for a shotgun, the most used crime weapon in the country.

In Bedfordshire county, the police issued 49 shotgun and other firearms licences to under-18s, including a child aged 10, in … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 10-year-old gets gun licence in Britain.

British rape victim to get protection

NEW DELHI – The Supreme court Thursday directed the Rajasthan government to provide security to a British rape victim when she visits the state in connection with her case.

However, the court dismissed her plea for the transfer of the case from the Jodhpur High Court to Delhi High Court.
The apex court bench of … Read this article on Gaea Times at : British rape victim to get protection.

Protesters block highway in flood-hit Haryana

CHANDIGARH – Scores of people blocked the National Highway-1 Thursday morning to protest the unavailability of water and electricity in flood-affected Shahbad town of Haryana’s Kurukshetra district.

Hundreds of vehicles on the busy highway that links Delhi were caught in a jam even as authorities and the police tried to persuade the protesters to lift the … Read more »»».

7 killed by bombs in Baghdad on final day of Shiite holiday

7 killed in Baghdad on final day of Shiite holiday

BAGHDAD – At least seven people were killed Thursday by bombs targeting pilgrims taking part in the final day of a Shiite religious holiday that draws hundreds of thousands of people to Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.
The deaths came one day after more than 50 people were … Read : 7 killed by bombs in Baghdad on final day of Shiite holiday.

German who killed two over World Cup surrenders

Madrid, July 8 (IANS/AKI) A German man accused of killing two Italians after an alleged row over the World Cup in a bar in Germany has surrendered to Spanish authorities, police said.

The 42-year-old, known as Holger B., was expected to be extradited to Germany.
“We have no doubt the suspect will quickly be extradited … Read more »»».

Solution to oil under the Gulf sand: Some say do nothing and let nature clean it eventually

Beach cleaners only skimming oil off surface sand

GULF SHORES, Ala. – A problem lurks under the sand on the Gulf Coast, but some argue the best thing to do is – nothing.
Walk to a seemingly pristine patch of sand, plop down in a chair and start digging with your bare feet and chances are you’ll … Original source on Gaea Times at : Solution to oil under the Gulf sand: Some say do nothing and let nature clean it eventually.

Coast Guard Helicopter Crash Reason Unknown

WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com)- Three people were killed and one injured on Wednesday when a US Coast Guard helicopter crashed into the waters of the James Island in Washington. Reasons for the crash which took place on Wednesday morning are still unknown and the US Coast Guard authorities have said that they will launch an investigation … Read : Coast Guard Helicopter Crash Reason Unknown.

Three electrocuted in flood-hit Ambala

CHANDIGARH – Three people were electrocuted in Haryana’s flood-hit Ambala district, an official said Thursday. Unofficial sources put the toll at five.

The state government has announced Rs.200,000 to the families of the three officially reported dead. The district Red Cross has announced an added Rs.100,000, Ambala Deputy Commissioner S.P. Srow told IANS.
“The situation has [..] Read the original article: here.

Earthquake July 7, 2010: No Major Damages

LOS ANGELES (GaeaTimes.com)- A moderate 5.4 magnitude earthquake on July 7 2010 hit the southern part of California as people were returning home from work. The epicenter of the earthquake that was located 13 miles northwest of Borrego Springs and 58 miles northwest of San Diego. The Earthquake was at a depth of … Read more >>.

2 passengers missing from capsized duck boat in Pa. barge collision, 35 other people rescued

2 missing after barge capsizes duck boat in Philly

PHILADELPHIA – Searchers plied the murky waters of the Delaware River early Thursday for two passengers missing from an amphibious sightseeing boat that was struck by a barge, flipped over and sank.
The 37 people aboard the six-wheeled duck boat were tossed overboard when the tugboat-pushed barge hit …. Read the original article  : here.

Eastern Seaboard to get some relief from heat, though humidity will keep the weather swampy

East Coast to get relief from heat, not humidity

NEW YORK – After four days of a steamy heat wave swamped much of the Eastern Seaboard, the likelihood of just 80- or 90-degree weather was sounding downright delectable.
The National Weather Service was forecasting less brutal heat throughout the region on Thursday, though it still was likely …. Original article  : Eastern Seaboard to get some relief from heat, though humidity will keep the weather swampy.

5 killed by bombs in Baghdad on final day of Shiite holiday

5 killed in Baghdad on final day of Shiite holiday

BAGHDAD – Iraqi officials say at least five people have been killed by bombs targeting pilgrims taking part in the final day of a Shiite religious holiday.
Police and hospital officials say the five were believed to be pilgrims on their way home from visiting a mosque …. Source article  : 5 killed by bombs in Baghdad on final day of Shiite holiday.

Fire erupts at historic NYC Baptist church, extent of damage unknown; 4 firefighters injured

Fire erupts at historic NYC church; 4 injured

NEW YORK – A fire has erupted at a historic New York City church.
Firefighters say the blaze was reported Wednesday night at the Baptist Temple church in Brooklyn. The church was built in the 1890s and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 for …. Source article  : Fire erupts at historic NYC Baptist church, extent of damage unknown; 4 firefighters injured.

Marwari don becomes Nepal’s most wanted

KATHMANDU – A 30-year-old from the Marwari community, the clan with the Midas touch in both India and Nepal, is now among Nepal’s most wanted, after a series of murders and kidnaps by his gang that includes both Indians and Nepali henchmen.

Nepal police are searching for Rohit Paliwal Agarwal, a Nepali of Indian origin whose … Original source on Gaea Times at : Marwari don becomes Nepal’s most wanted.

Six killed as trailer rams autorickshaw in Bengal

KOLKATA – Six people were killed and two others injured when an autorickshaw collided head-on with a speeding trailer near Raiganj in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district Friday, police said.

Superintendent of Police Milan Kanti Das told IANS that five people, including a woman, died on the spot in the early hours of the day. … Read more »»».

Pa. duck boat company says it followed NTSB recommendations after 1999 sinking, added buoyancy

Philly duck boat company says it made NTSB fixes

PHILADELPHIA – Tina Rosebrook was sitting at the stern of a stalled amphibious sightseeing boat when the screams began. A barge towering three stories above was speeding toward her.
“It felt like we were all just waiting for the boat to turn or stop,” Rosebrook told The Associated …. Source article  : Pa. duck boat company says it followed NTSB recommendations after 1999 sinking, added buoyancy.

Shutdown in Jharkhand against theft of idol

RANCHI – Several parts of Jharkhand, including this state capital, shut down Friday in response to religious groups calling for a dawn to dusk strike to protest the theft of a three-century-old idol of a Hindu goddess from a temple in Ramgarh district.

The strike has been called by the Mahaveer Madal Samiti, supported by … Read more »».

US-Mexico border communities prepare for floodwaters moving down Rio Grande

Rio Grande communities brace for floodwaters

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – As a strong storm dumped rain on the already high Rio Grande, those living downstream braced for a torrent of water that already had closed two international bridges and led to evacuations on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border further up the river.
Residents of some …. Original source  : US-Mexico border communities prepare for floodwaters moving down Rio Grande.

Suicide bomber strikes Iraqi army check point in Baghdad, killing 6 people, officials say

Iraq: Suicide bomber kills 6 in Baghdad
BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into an Iraqi army check point in western Baghdad, killing six people and injuring 20 on Friday morning, officials said.

Although violence in Iraq has subsided significantly in the past years, members of the security forces are still frequently targeted by …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Suicide bomber strikes Iraqi army check point in Baghdad, killing 6 people, officials say.

Backup plan to halt Gulf gusher: Transfer oil from blown-out well to others miles away

Transferring oil from broken well an option for BP

THEODORE, Ala. – The first of two relief wells being drilled to stop the Gulf oil gusher could be done by the end of the month, BP officials say, but if that doesn’t succeed, one backup being considered is transferring the crude to non-producing underwater wells that …. Source article  : Backup plan to halt Gulf gusher: Transfer oil from blown-out well to others miles away.

At least 14 killed, nearly 100 wounded in blast in Pakistani tribal area

Large blast kills at least 14 in Pakistan
KHAR, Pakistan – A suicide bomber struck outside a government office in a tribal region where Pakistan’s army has fought the Taliban, killing at least 14 people and wounding nearly 100 others Friday.

The attack indicated that militants remain a potent force in Pakistan’s tribal belt bordering Afghanistan, despite … Read more >>>.

Six dead in China rains

BEIJING – At least six people were killed and 56,000 relocated as torrential rain hit central China’s Hunan province, authorities said Friday.

Two people were missing and 760,000 affected due to the rain since Thursday night, Xinhua reported.
The rain inflicted direct economic losses of $147 million, as rain-triggered landslides and debris flows breached dams, …. Original source  : Six dead in China rains.

Official says at least 5 killed, nearly 100 wounded in blast in Pakistani tribal area

Official: Large blast kills at least 5 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck outside a government office in a tribal region where Pakistan’s army has fought the Taliban, killing at least five people and wounding nearly 100 others Friday.
The attack indicated that militants remain a potent force in Pakistan’s tribal … Read more >>.

Seven shot dead on Colombian highway

Bogota, July 9 (IANS/EFE) Seven members of a family, including two minors, were killed when gunmen attacked their vehicle in the northwestern Colombia, authorities said.

The assailants struck Wednesday afternoon in the province of Antioquia, firing on a group of 17 people returning from a funeral, a government official said Thursday.
The Antioquia provincial government attributed … Original article on : Seven shot dead on Colombian highway.

Twelve members of marriage party killed in West Bengal

KOLKATA – Twelve members of a marriage party were killed and one person was seriously injured when their car collided head-on with a speeding lorry at Barjora in West Bengal’s Bankura district.

Bankura police superintendent Vishal Garg told IANS that 10 people died on the spot when the accident occurred around 11.30 p.m. Thursday. Two people …. Original article  : Twelve members of marriage party killed in West Bengal.

Former transit officer convicted of involuntary manslaughter in train station killing

Officer convicted in Calif. train station killing

LOS ANGELES – A white former transit officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter Thursday in the videotaped shooting death of an unarmed black man on an Oakland train platform in an encounter that set off days of rioting in the city.
After the verdict, a mostly calm protest in Oakland [..] Read the original article: here.

Woman kills self, two children

LUCKNOW – A woman allegedly set herself on fire along with her two minor children in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad district following a heated argument with her husband, police said Friday. All three were killed.

Kanti, 35, a resident of the Isrikipura village in Allahabad, some 200 km from Lucknow, set herself ablaze late Thursday along …. Source  : Woman kills self, two children.

Mother, son found murdered at their Delhi home

NEW DELHI – A 40-year-old woman and her five-year-old son were found brutally murdered at their home in west Delhi’s Patel Nagar area early Friday.

Property dealer Pawan Nagia returned home at about 3 a.m. to find the bodies of his wife Anuradha and son Cherish.
“The entry into the house seems to be … Read more : Mother, son found murdered at their Delhi home.

Official says large explosion hits Pakistan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, several killed

Official: Deadly blast hits Pakistan tribal area

ISLAMABAD – A large explosion ripped through a village in a tribal area bordering Afghanistan where the Pakistani army has fought the Taliban, killing several people Friday, an official said.
Dozens more were wounded in the blast, whose exact cause was unclear, said Noor Mohammad, an official in the Mohmand …. Read the original article  : here.

Catholic monk arrested on murder charges in China

BEIJING – Police have arrested a Catholic monk in connection with the murders of a priest and a nun in a church in north China.

Zhang Wenping, 43, was arrested Thursday in Hohhot city. He had confessed to the crime, Xinhua reported Friday.
Priest Zhang Shulai and nun Wei Yanhui were found dead July 6 in … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Catholic monk arrested on murder charges in China.

Flood extensively damages crops in Haryana, Punjab

CHANDIGARH – Freshly sown paddy crop in thousands of acres of fertile agricultural land has been destroyed in nearly four days of flood fury in some districts of Haryana and Punjab – the states that are the biggest food grain contributors to the national kitty.

Eleven deaths have been reported so far — six in Punjab …. Original source  : Flood extensively damages crops in Haryana, Punjab.

Teenager dies in floodwaters as more heavy rains pounds Oklahoma; third child killed in 1 week

Teenager drowns in Oklahoma floodwaters
OKLAHOMA CITY – Officials say a teenager was swept to her death in Oklahoma when heavy rain fueled by persistent tropical moisture pounded parts of the state.

Cherokee Ballard, a spokeswoman for the state Medical Examiner’s office, says the girl was playing with friends around a drainage ditch Thursday near Durant in … Original article on : Teenager dies in floodwaters as more heavy rains pounds Oklahoma; third child killed in 1 week.

US, Russia complete massive spy swap (Second lead)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON/MOSCOW – The US and Russia have completed arrangements for one of the largest spy swaps in history as 10 Russian spy suspects and four prisoners in Russian custody pleaded guilty to charges against them.

In New York, the 10 Russian spies, who included a Peruvian-born US citizen, pleaded guilty in federal court to lesser …. Read the original article  : here.

Explosion hits NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan, no casualties

Explosion hits NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – An explosion tore through a NATO convoy traveling in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, the latest attack targeting international forces. No troops were killed.
Local government spokesman Mubarez Zadran said a suicide car bomber struck the convoy as it rolled through Khost province’s Mando Zayi district. …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Moderate earthquake hits in Guam and Northern Marianas area, no reports of injury or damage

Moderate earthquake hits in Guam region
SAIPAN, Northern Marianas – A moderate earthquake has hit near U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Marianas islands, but there were no reports of injury or damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude 5.5 temblor struck at 3:39 p.m. Saturday local time. It was centered 40 miles northeast of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Moderate earthquake hits in Guam and Northern Marianas area, no reports of injury or damage.

Relief work stepped up in flood-hit Haryana, Punjab

CHANDIGARH – With no rains in flood-affected areas of Haryana and Punjab in the last two days, authorities have stepped up efforts to provide relief to the marooned people in both states.

District authorities and voluntary organisations are reaching out to people after mounting criticism from residents of flood-affected villages and towns over the slow response …. Original article  : Relief work stepped up in flood-hit Haryana, Punjab.

Explosion hits NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan, no word on casualties

Explosion hits NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – An explosion tore through a NATO convoy traveling on a road in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, the latest attack targeting international forces. There was no immediate word on casualties.
Local government spokesman Mubarez Zadran said a suicide car bomber struck the convoy as it rolled …. Original article  : Explosion hits NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan, no word on casualties.

Brain Fever Paralyzes Nagpur

NAGPUR, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The death toll from brain fever is on the rise and according to the latest unofficial figures obtained from the eastern part of Vidarbha in Nagpur as many as 14 children have died after being affected by the disease. However, when the issue should have been dealt with the utmost importance, …. Original source  : Brain Fever Paralyzes Nagpur.

Death toll from twin suicide bombings in Pakistan jumps to 102 with 115 wounded

Pakistan suicide bombing death toll jumps to 102

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The death toll from twin suicide bombings in Pakistan jumped to 102 with 115 people wounded on Saturday, making it the deadliest attack this year in the country.
Authorities continued to remove debris from the site of the attack in the village of Yakaghund in a … Read more »»».

Death toll from twin suicide bombing in Pakistan jumps to 102 with 115 wounded

Pakistan bombing death toll jumps to 102
PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A government official says the death toll from twin suicide bombing in Pakistan has jumped to 102 with 115 people wounded.

Meraj Din says authorities are still removing debris in the village of Yakaghund in a northwest tribal region a day after two bombers struck seconds apart … Original source on Gaea Times at : Death toll from twin suicide bombing in Pakistan jumps to 102 with 115 wounded.

ALL BUSINESS: BP goes from ideal to despised corporate citizen in wake of oil spill

ALL BUSINESS: Once lauded, BP no corporate citizen

NEW YORK – Milton Friedman once said companies can’t be socially responsible because they only exist to make as much money as possible.
The late Nobel laureate economist would appreciate what’s going on now: A historic environmental disaster caused by a company that went out of its way to …. Source article  : ALL BUSINESS: BP goes from ideal to despised corporate citizen in wake of oil spill.

Romance costs another Canadian commander his job

TORONTO – Just a month after it sacked its top commander in Afghanistan for having a romantic affair with a female trooper, Canada has kicked out its top military man in Haiti for his involvement in ‘inappropriate’ sexual relations.

Colonel Bernard Ouellette, who is the chief of staff to the United Nations mission in the earthquake-hit …. Read the original article  : Romance costs another Canadian commander his job.

Online consultant groomed teenagers for sex

LONDON – An online consultant whose job was to advise young people on their sexual development groomed teenagers for sex and was caught red-handed while arranging to meet a “trained” girl.

Simon Beard, 56, a consultant at the National Youth Agency, was caught red-handed in an undercover investigation by Sky News reporters who were looking into …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Online consultant groomed teenagers for sex.

Fugitive ‘Barefoot Bandit’ may have fled 1 island in Bahamas for another, police say

Police: ‘Barefoot Bandit’ may have fled Bahamas

MARSH HARBOUR, Bahamas – A fugitive U.S. teenager who has successfully eluded teams of local police and FBI agents may have slipped off the island where he allegedly crash-landed a stolen plane nearly a week ago, police said Friday.
Authorities are investigating a report that Colton Harris-Moore, dubbed the “Barefoot … Read : Fugitive ‘Barefoot Bandit’ may have fled 1 island in Bahamas for another, police say.

Australian soldier killed by bomb blast in Afghanistan; 6th Aussie killed in 1 month

Australian soldier killed by blast in Afghanistan

DARWIN, Australia – An Australian soldier has been killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the head of the Australian Defense Force, announced Saturday the 23-year-old soldier was killed just before midnight Friday.
Houston says authorities will not release his name, but his family has … Read more »».

At least 1,079 US military deaths in Afghan region since 2001

US military deaths in Afghan region at 1,079

As of Friday, July 9, 2010, at least 1,079 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 eight more than the Defense Department’s … Read : At least 1,079 US military deaths in Afghan region since 2001.

Engineer: Crane in NYC collapse wasn’t anchored as usual, but design was ’sound and safe’

Engineer: Crane in NYC collapse had unusual base

NEW YORK – A construction crane that collapsed and killed seven people didn’t have a customary anchor to the ground, the engineer who designed it told a court Friday.
But “the design was sound and safe,” Peter Stroh testified at crane rigger William Rapetti’s manslaughter trial.
Rapetti wasn’t involved in …. Original article  : Engineer: Crane in NYC collapse wasn’t anchored as usual, but design was ’sound and safe’.

FAA tells airlines to fix window heaters responsible for dozens of fire, smoke incidents

FAA tells airlines to fix cockpit window heaters

WASHINGTON – Airlines will have to inspect the cockpit window heaters on 1,212 Boeing airliners and perhaps replace the windows under a safety order the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it plans to issue next week.
The window heaters have been tied to dozens of incidents involving in-flight fires, …. Read the original article  : FAA tells airlines to fix window heaters responsible for dozens of fire, smoke incidents.

NAACP alleges in letter to BP that minorities helping with oil spill cleanup get tougher jobs

NAACP: Minorities assigned tougher oil spill jobs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NAACP has sent a letter to BP expressing concerns that minorities helping to clean up after the massive oil spill tend to be assigned tougher, lower paying jobs than whites.
NAACP president, Ben Jealous, says in the letter dated Friday that he wants to meet …. Original article  : NAACP alleges in letter to BP that minorities helping with oil spill cleanup get tougher jobs.

IRS phone number set up for taxpayers affected by Gulf oil spill

IRS phone number set up for Gulf oil spill victims

WASHINGTON – Taxpayers affected by the oil spill can call a special IRS phone number for questions about BP payments or if they have problems filing taxes.
The Internal Revenue Service announced Friday that Gulf oil spill victims can call 866-562-5227 on weekdays between 7 a.m. and … Read more >>.

Federal official says Gulf oil leak could be contained Monday using new, tighter-fitting cap

Feds say new cap could contain Gulf leak by Monday

NEW ORLEANS – Undersea robots manipulated by engineers a mile above will begin work Saturday removing the containment cap over the gushing well head in the Gulf of Mexico, the first part of a plan that could lead to the containment of all the oil as … Original article on : Federal official says Gulf oil leak could be contained Monday using new, tighter-fitting cap.

Plane crash in Colorado park leaves Wisconsin man, daughter with minor injuries

2 injured when small plane crashes in Colo. park

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. – A Wisconsin man and his daughter survived a single-engine plane crash in a remote part of Rocky Mountain National park, using trees and debris from the aircraft to build a shelter while they waited to be rescued, park officials said Friday.
Jim … Read more : Plane crash in Colorado park leaves Wisconsin man, daughter with minor injuries.

NATO accepts blame for accidentally killing 6 Afghan civilians in eastern Afghanistan

NATO accepts blame for killing 6 Afghan civilians
KABUL, Afghanistan – NATO took the blame on Friday for accidentally killing six civilians and wounding several others in eastern Afghanistan – just a day after five Afghan soldiers died in a botched coalition airstrike.
The back-to-back incidents come as international troops are trying … Original article on : NATO accepts blame for accidentally killing 6 Afghan civilians in eastern Afghanistan.

Lightning kills 20 in Bihar

PATNA – At least 20 people, including women and children, have been killed by lightning across Bihar since Saturday, an official said.

“In the last 24 hours, at least 20 people, including three children and two women, have been killed by bolts of lightning across Bihar,” an official of the state Disaster Management Department said.
Over … Read more : Lightning kills 20 in Bihar.

Inter-state gang of vehicle lifters busted, two held

MOHALI – A gang of vehicle lifters active in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh was busted with the arrest of two people from Kharar town in Punjab’s Mohali district, police said Sunday.

Police also recovered seven stolen cars — one Bolero jeep, one Innova car, three Indigo cars and two Zen cars — worth … Original article on : Inter-state gang of vehicle lifters busted, two held.

G-20 protests in Canada against police excesses

TORONTO – Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in major Canadian cities to demand an inquiry into police excesses during the G-20 summit here June 26-27. In the largest mass arrest in Canadian history, more than 1,000 people were arrested in the city under secret emergency powers given to security forces.

Hundreds of protesters …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Train robbers strike again in Andhra Pradesh

HYDERABAD – Train robberies are continuing unabated in Andhra Pradesh with robbers targeting passengers of another train late Saturday night and snatching gold ornaments, with the railway police failing to act quickly.

Police said robbers looted about 80 grams of gold ornaments from passengers on the Chennai-Kakinada Circar Express near Ulavapadu in Prakasam district around midnight. … Read : Train robbers strike again in Andhra Pradesh.

6 months after Haiti quake, land disputes grind recovery to a near-standstill

Haiti recovery bogged down 6 months after quake
CORAIL-CESSELESSE, Haiti – The sun was beating down on the rocky cactus plain when men with machetes came for Menmen Villase, nine months pregnant, shoved her onto her bulging stomach and sliced up the plastic tarp that sheltered her and her four children.
The family was one … Read more >>.

Argentine female prisons in inhuman condition

Buenos Aires, July 11 (IANS/EFE) Prisons for female convicts in Argentina are in an “inhuman” condition and inmates are being subjected to ill-treatment and torture, a report by over a dozen human rights organisations said.

According to the document, these conditions constitute a “scenario of systematic violations of human rights” and are totally against the UN …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Argentine female prisons in inhuman condition.

Mexican air force helicopter goes down in western state, 3 dead; 2nd military crash in a month

Mexican air force helicopter crashes; 3 dead

MEXICO CITY – Mexican officials say an air force helicopter has crashed in the western state of Jalisco, killing three military personnel on board.
The Defense Department reports that the Bell 206 aircraft originated in Michoacan state and went down about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of the Guadalajara airport.
It …. Source  : Mexican air force helicopter goes down in western state, 3 dead; 2nd military crash in a month.

Refugees die in boat accident off Spanish coast

GRANADA – Five African refugees including two babies died in a boat accident about 80 km south of Motril on the southern Spanish coast, officials said Saturday evening.

The boat, which foundered at sea, was carrying 40 passengers and was thought to have come from Morocco.
The boat started rocking as the coast guard came near … Read : Refugees die in boat accident off Spanish coast.

Red tape, negotiations mean aid money to shore up Haiti hospital just now arriving

Haiti hospital woes show challenges of recovery
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – It was a simple problem with a novel solution.
Doctors, nurses and technicians at Haiti’s most important hospital had not been paid since before the earthquake – causing strikes and staffing shortages, and turning the facility into a dangerously inefficient, rat-infested mess. So …. Original article  : Red tape, negotiations mean aid money to shore up Haiti hospital just now arriving.

AP Interview: Bill Clinton frustrated by slow donors, but hopeful for Haiti’s recovery

Clinton anxious, but hopeful over Haiti recovery
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Former U.S. President Bill Clinton expressed frustration Saturday over the slow pace of Haiti’s earthquake recovery, but said the country will escape its difficulties if it can become self-sufficient.
In a phone interview with The Associated Press ahead of the six-month anniversary of the Jan. … Read more : AP Interview: Bill Clinton frustrated by slow donors, but hopeful for Haiti’s recovery.

Gushing Gulf well’s cap is removed in short-term trade-off to start capturing all the oil

Oil unleashed temporarily in attempt to contain it

NEW ORLEANS – Hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil are being allowed to spew into the fouled waters of the Gulf of Mexico while BP engineers prepare to install a new containment system they hope will catch it all in the coming days.
There’s no guarantee for such …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

2 UGA football players charged with alcohol offenses after DUI arrest brings down AD

UGA football players arrested for alcohol offenses

ATLANTA – Two football players for the University of Georgia were jailed early Saturday morning on alcohol-related charges less than a week after an embarrassing drunken driving arrest prompted the university’s athletic director to resign.
Dontavius Jackson, listed as a sophomore tailback, and sophomore split end Tavarres King were in … Read : 2 UGA football players charged with alcohol offenses after DUI arrest brings down AD.

‘Barefoot Bandit’ leaves few tracks in Bahamas; police say it’s been days since last sighting

Bahamas trail grows cold for ‘Barefoot Bandit’

GOVERNOR’S HARBOUR, Bahamas – The trail of a teenage U.S. fugitive suspected of stealing cars, boats and airplanes in his flight from the law grew cold Saturday as police acknowledged that it’s been days since they’ve had any credible sightings of the elusive “Barefoot Bandit.”
Authorities searching for Colton Harris-Moore …. Source article  : ‘Barefoot Bandit’ leaves few tracks in Bahamas; police say it’s been days since last sighting.

6 US troops, 12 Afghans die in attacks as operations in Taliban strongholds meet resistance

Surge of attacks kills 6 US troops, 12 Afghans

KABUL, Afghanistan – A wave of attacks killed six U.S. troops and at least a dozen civilians in Afghanistan’s volatile south and east, as American reinforcements moving into Taliban-dominated areas face up to the fierce resistance they expected.
Increased U.S.-led military operations in the southern province of Kandahar …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Friends, officials gather to remember 2 young Hungarians who died in Philly duck boat crash

2 Hungarian boat crash victims remembered in Pa.

PHILADELPHIA – Friends silently and solemnly dropped white roses into the Delaware River on Saturday in memory of the two Hungarian students who died when the amphibious tourist boat they were riding was struck by a barge and sank.
City officials, religious leaders and Hungarian diplomats joined the group [..] Read the original article: here.

BP: Gulf well cap removed, oil gushes freely as robots begin work to place tighter dome

BP: Cap on gushing well removed, oil flows freely

NEW ORLEANS – Robotic submarines removed the cap from the gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, beginning a period of at least two days when oil will flow freely into the sea.
It’s the first step in placing a tighter dome that is supposed to …. Source article  : BP: Gulf well cap removed, oil gushes freely as robots begin work to place tighter dome.

Russian spy calls family from Britain after swap

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON – Russian nuclear expert Igor Sutyagin contacted his family by telephone Saturday from Britain, a day after participating in a spectacular spy swap between Russia and the US, the Interfax news agency reported.

The 45-year-old is staying in a small town near London, shielded from the public, his brother Dmitry was quoted as saying.
Sutyagin …. Source  : Russian spy calls family from Britain after swap.

Toll in China floods reaches 50

BEIJING – At least 50 people have died while 15 are missing following floods, landslides and mud flows triggered by days of torrential rains in central and southern China, the ministry of civil affairs said Saturday.

Over 17.2 million people in nine provinces have been affected by the floods while over 597,000 people have been …. Source  : Toll in China floods reaches 50.

Four Maoists held in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR – Four Maoists were arrested Saturday in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, where the guerrillas had slaughtered 27 security personnel June 29, police said.

The arrests were made from the Edka forested hamlet, some 360 km south of capital Raipur, Superintendent of Police Rahul Bhagat told reporters at Narayanpur town, the headquarters of the district. … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Four Maoists held in Chhattisgarh.

As death toll from tribal region bombings’ hits 102, Pakistanis search for relatives in rubble

Pakistan bomb death toll hits 102, worst this year

YAKAGHUND, Pakistan – As Adnan Khan sifted through the rubble in this northwest Pakistani village Saturday, his grief mingled with a sense of disbelief. Of the 102 people killed by a pair of suicide bombers here the day before, 10 were his relatives. Aunts, uncles, cousins – … Read more »»».

BP robots assemble more of undersea oil cap as Gulf Coast residents watch warily

BP reports progress on oil cap; Gulf Coast waits

NEW ORLEANS – BP underwater robots steadily assembled heavy metal pieces in what could be the most significant progress yet toward containing the gushing Gulf of Mexico oil well, watched warily by residents onshore.
The oil giant was ahead of schedule as it went into the 83rd day …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : BP robots assemble more of undersea oil cap as Gulf Coast residents watch warily.

Rights group: Afghan civilian deaths rise with surge of violence, but NATO causes fewer deaths

Afghan civilian deaths rise, but NATO kills fewer

KABUL, Afghanistan – Escalating violence in Afghanistan is now the worst since the early months of the nearly 9-year-old war, killing 1,074 civilians so far this year as international forces struggle to establish security, an Afghan rights group said Monday.
However, the share of civilians killed by international forces …. Read the original article  : Rights group: Afghan civilian deaths rise with surge of violence, but NATO causes fewer deaths.

Five students hurt as bus overturns in Delhi (Lead, superseding earlier story)

NEW DELHI – Five school students were injured Monday when the overcrowded mini-bus they were travelling in overturned in north Delhi, police said.

The accident occurred around 7.30 a.m. near the Wazirabad bridge when the driver of the privately run RTV (mini-bus) lost control while taking a U-turn. The students were on their way to school. …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Five students hurt as bus overturns in Delhi (Lead, superseding earlier story).

Koda scam may be handed over to CBI

RANCHI – Jharkhand is likely to hand over investigation in the Rs.2,500 crore money laundering scam involving former chief minister Madhu Koda to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), an official source said Monday.

The state government wrote to CBI last month asking it to take over the investigation. “CBI has given its consent. The letter … Read more »»».

Pakistani spy had licence, voter ID and PAN card: police

CHANDIGARH – Kashif Ali, the suspected Pakistani spy who was arrested here two days ago, had duped government departments and banks during his over two-year stay here. He had a driving licence, voter ID card and even a PAN card – all procured on the basis of fake documents, police said Monday.

Ali’s rented accommodation in … Original article on : Pakistani spy had licence, voter ID and PAN card: police.

North Korea, US-led UN Command to meet this week to discuss South warship sinking

NKorea, US-led UN Command to meet over sinking

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea and the American-led U.N. Command will meet this week to discuss the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on Pyongyang, the U.N. Command said Monday.
The announcement came three days after the U.N. Security Council approved a statement that condemned the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : North Korea, US-led UN Command to meet this week to discuss South warship sinking.

Five students hurt as mini-bus overturns in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Five students were injured Monday when they were hit by a mini-bus that overturned in north Delhi, police said.

The accident occurred around 7.30 a.m. near the Wazirabad bridge when the driver lost control while taking a U-turn. The students who were hurt were walking to school when the vehicle hit them.
“The … Read more : Five students hurt as mini-bus overturns in Delhi.

AP Interview: New offshore drilling chief says he may rile industry, environmental groups

AP Interview: New drilling chief promises balance

WASHINGTON – The former federal prosecutor who now heads the government agency that oversees offshore drilling says he is not afraid to fine lawbreaking oil companies or even put some executives in jail.
But Michael Bromwich says he is not an anti-drilling zealot and will probably take actions that upset … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : AP Interview: New offshore drilling chief says he may rile industry, environmental groups.

Two held in train with cache of firearms

LUCKNOW – Two men have been arrested with a huge cache of firearms from a train in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district, police said Monday.

Sajid and Shahzad were arrested late Sunday from the New Delhi-bound Vikramshila Express. A total of 11 pistols and 22 magazines were recovered from them during a joint operation by the Uttar … Read more : Two held in train with cache of firearms.

11 killed as late monsoon wreaks havoc in Nepal

KATHMANDU – At least 11 people were killed as a late monsoon brought misery in Nepal, triggering landslides and fears about a possible breach in the Kosi barrage that two years ago wreaked havoc in Nepal and India.

Police said 10 people, mostly women and children, died in western Nepal after landslides swept villages, reducing shacks … Original article on : 11 killed as late monsoon wreaks havoc in Nepal.

Twin explosions hit crowds in Uganda watching World Cup final; 64 killed including 1 American

Blasts hit World Cup watchers in Uganda, kill 64
KAMPALA, Uganda – Explosions tore through crowds watching the World Cup final at a rugby club and an Ethiopian restaurant, killing at least 64 people including an American aid worker, officials said. Police feared an al-Qaida-linked Somali … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Twin explosions hit crowds in Uganda watching World Cup final; 64 killed including 1 American.

BP says cost of dealing with Gulf of Mexico oil spill reaches $3.5 billion

BP says oil spill costs climb to $3.5 billion

LONDON – BP PLC said Monday that the cost of dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has risen to $3.5 billion.
The oil company said this includes nearly $165 million paid to settle individual claims. BP said that by Saturday, it had received 105,000 … Read this article on Gaea Times at : BP says cost of dealing with Gulf of Mexico oil spill reaches $3.5 billion.

Rescue work on in Punjab, Haryana to plug breaches

CHANDIGARH – Rescue work was on in flood-hit areas of Punjab and Haryana Monday as the army joined efforts to plug breaches in the Ghaggar river that had inundated scores of villages the day before.

“Due to breaches in Ghaggar river and heavy flow of water, various villages submerged in Mansa (in Punjab). Hundreds of …. Source  : Rescue work on in Punjab, Haryana to plug breaches.

Haryana wants joint patrolling of canals, rivers with Punjab

CHANDIGARH – The Haryana government, which blames farmers in Punjab for diverting flood water from the Ghaggar river into the dry Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal leading to flooding in some districts, wants joint police patrolling of canals and rivers in both states.

Advisor to Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda R.N. Prashar Monday said cuts in … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Haryana wants joint patrolling of canals, rivers with Punjab.

Drag racing driver dies after crash at NHRA event outside Seattle

Driver killed in crash at Washington raceway

KENT, Wash. – A 60-year-old drag racing driver became the third person to die at an NHRA event this year when he crashed after crossing the finish line during his semifinal heat at the Northwest Nationals on Sunday.
Mark Niver of Phoenix was competing in the Top Alcohol dragster class …. Original article  : Drag racing driver dies after crash at NHRA event outside Seattle.

Clinton condemns Uganda bombings, promises US help tracking down perpetrators

Clinton condemns Uganda bombings, promises US help
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is “strongly condemning” the explosions that killed more than 60 people, including at least one American, in Uganda on Sunday.
Clinton says the United States will work with the Ugandan government “to bring the perpetrators of this crime to … Read : Clinton condemns Uganda bombings, promises US help tracking down perpetrators.

23 die in Guatemala violence

Guatemala City, July 12 (IANS/EFE) At least 23 people, including six women, have been killed in separate incidents of violence in Guatemala, police said.

The incidents that left nearly two dozen dead across the country took place Saturday, a media report said Sunday.
Twelve people were killed in the province of Guatemala, which includes the capital, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 23 die in Guatemala violence.

6.2-magnitude quake jolts Chile

SANTIAGO – An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted the northern part of Chile, but there was no report of damage or casualties, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has said.

The quake occurred at 0011 GMT Monday, with the epicentre 80 km northeast of Calama in the Atacama desert, Xinhua reported quoting the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 6.2-magnitude quake jolts Chile.

Twin bombings strike crowds in Uganda watching World Cup final; 64 people killed

Bombs strike World Cup watchers in Uganda, kill 64

KAMPALA, Uganda – In simultaneous bombings bearing the hallmarks of international terrorists, two explosions ripped through crowds watching the World Cup final in two places in Uganda’s capital late Sunday, killing 64 people, police said. One American was killed and several were wounded.
The deadliest attack occurred at [..] Read the original article: here.

64 killed in bomb attacks in Uganda as people watched World Cup; Americans among victims

64 die in bomb attacks in Uganda during World Cup

KAMPALA, Uganda – In simultaneous bombings bearing the hallmarks of international terrorists, two explosions ripped through crowds watching the World Cup final in two places in Uganda’s capital late Sunday, killing 64 people, police said. One American was killed and several were wounded.
The deadliest attack occurred … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 64 killed in bomb attacks in Uganda as people watched World Cup; Americans among victims.

Honour killings have no place in Canada: Minister

TORONTO – After recent incidents of alleged honour killings in the Indian and Pakistani communities here, the Canadian minister for women affairs Monday warned that these gruesome acts have no place this country.

Visiting the Punjabi Community Health Services in Mississauga on the outskirts of Toronto, Rona Ambrose, who is the Canadian minister for the status … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Honour killings have no place in Canada: Minister.

Fear of floods haunts Bihar

PATNA – With water entering dozens of villages and water levels rising in several rivers, the fear of floods is back in Bihar where people have started fleeing their homes in panic, officials said Tuesday.

Water levels in the Kosi, Gandak, Bodhi Gandak and Bagmati rivers increased after heavy rains in the state and the catchment …. Read the original article  : Fear of floods haunts Bihar.

As BP prepares to test new cap on oil leak, Gulf region’s residents wonder what comes next

BP prepares to test new cap installed on oil leak

NEW ORLEANS – After securing a new, tight-fitting cap on top of the leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico, BP prepared Tuesday to begin tests to see if it will hold and stop fresh oil from polluting the waters for the first time in nearly …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : As BP prepares to test new cap on oil leak, Gulf region’s residents wonder what comes next.

BP Video Assures Gulf Residents

GULF OF MEXICO (GaeaTimes.com)- If the recently uploaded video on the BP site is any indication then the Louisiana residents plagued by the Gulf oil spill can heave a sigh of relief. A footage that is now available in the web shows a giant underwater robot placing a cap on the well under the … Original article on : BP Video Assures Gulf Residents.

Injured Uttar Pradesh minister is out of danger

LUCKNOW – Uttar Pradesh minister Nand Gopal Gupta alias Nandi, who was critically injured in a bomb blast in Allahabad, is “conscious and out of danger”, doctors said here Tuesday.

Nandi, the minister for finance (stamps and registrations), was late Monday flown in a state plane from the Jeevan Jyoti Hospital in Allahabad to the Sanjay … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Injured Uttar Pradesh minister is out of danger.

State media: 17 dead, 44 missing after landslides slam mountain towns in China

17 dead, 44 missing as landslides hit China towns

BEIJING – Landslides slammed into three mountain hamlets in western China early Tuesday, killing 17 people and leaving 44 missing, while crews drained a fast-rising reservoir in another part of the country following heavy rains.
The landslides swept through three different areas before dawn, state media said. In … Read more : State media: 17 dead, 44 missing after landslides slam mountain towns in China.

17 dead, 44 missing in China landslides

BEIJING – Seventeen people were killed and 44 went missing Tuesday after rains triggered landslides in southwest China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, authorities said.

In Yunnan, four people were killed and 42 went missing early Tuesday after landslides and floods hit Xiaohe township in Zhaotong city; 53 people were injured.
The provincial government has sent …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : 17 dead, 44 missing in China landslides.

Gov’t hopes new offshore drilling moratorium can survive legal challenge

Gov’t hopes new drilling moratorium can survive

WASHINGTON – Rebuffed twice by the courts, the Obama administration is taking another crack at a moratorium on deep-water drilling, stressing new evidence of safety concerns and no longer basing the moratorium on water depth. But those who challenge the latest ban question whether it complies with a judge’s …. Original article  : Gov’t hopes new offshore drilling moratorium can survive legal challenge.

Denver air crash probe focuses on crosswinds, questions actions by pilot and controller

Denver air crash probe focuses on crosswinds

WASHINGTON – Strong crosswinds are the focus of an investigation into why an airliner with 110 passengers ran off a runway in Denver, but the actions of air traffic controllers and the flight’s captain have also been questioned, National Transportation Safety Board documents show.
The board is scheduled to meet … Read : Denver air crash probe focuses on crosswinds, questions actions by pilot and controller.

Man On Fire Is ‘Mysterious’, Says Police

BELLEVUE (GaeaTimes.com)- A man on fire was seen walking the streets in the 14000 block of Southeast 36th Street in Bellevue this weekend. The bystanders in that part of the street quickly helped to put out the fire and immediately called the 911 for help, however their efforts were in vain after it was …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Man On Fire Is ‘Mysterious’, Says Police.

Man kills brother, sister-in-law over property dispute

HISAR – A man shot dead his elder brother, the additional advocate general of Haryana, and sister-in-law over a property dispute, police here said Tuesday.

Ankur Sura killed Sanjiv Sura, 36, and Sunita Sura, 32, late Sunday. Their mother Ginni Devi was the only eyewitness. She registered a complaint against her younger son, who was arrested …. Source  : Man kills brother, sister-in-law over property dispute.

Nepal Maoist guerrilla gets gangster rap

KATHMANDU – The ‘People’s Liberation Army’ (PLA) under Nepal’s opposition Maoist party, which helped the guerrillas wage a 10-year war but now is preventing them from forming the new government, has come into fresh controversy with the suspected involvement of a senior fighter in criminal activities.

Ironically, while the Maoist leadership has been trying to get …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Nepal Maoist guerrilla gets gangster rap.

Nashville Rising benefit concert led by Faith Hill, Tim McGraw raises $2.2M for flood victims

Hill, McGraw-led flood benefit raises $2.2M

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Rising benefit concert led by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw has raised over $2.2 million for flood victims in middle Tennessee.
The total came from sold-out ticket sales, donations and sponsorships. It will be distributed through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Last month’s all-star concert included … Read more »»».

Wildlife Officials Hunt Killer Alligator

FLORIDA (GaeaTimes.com)- In a recent development a man was attacked by a large alligator in a canal in Florida which chopped off one of his hands. Gabriella Ferraro the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission representative said that Timothy Delano, the 18 year old guy is now recuperating at a hospital. The good thing … Read more : Wildlife Officials Hunt Killer Alligator.

State media: 3 dead, 50 missing after landslide slams mountain town in SW China

3 dead, 50 missing after landslide hits China town

BEIJING – A landslide slammed into a mountain town in southwest China early Tuesday, killing three people and leaving at least 50 missing, while crews drained an engorged reservoir in another part of the country following heavy rains.
Rescuers tried to locate the 56 missing people after a … Original source on Gaea Times at : State media: 3 dead, 50 missing after landslide slams mountain town in SW China.

Three dead, 50 missing in China landslides

BEIJING – Landslides triggered by torrential rains left three people dead and at least 50 missing in southwest China’s Yunnan province, authorities said Tuesday.

Eleven people were injured in the disaster, the provincial government said in a press release.
Heavy rains battered Xiaohe township of Qiaojia county early Tuesday, followed by flash floods and landslides that …. Original article  : Three dead, 50 missing in China landslides.

Dog shoots man in New Zealand

WELLINGTON – A man in New Zealand was shot in the butt when his pet dog jumped on a loaded rifle.

The incident took place Saturday in the Northland region when the dog accidentally stepped on the trigger of the .22 rifle and ended up firing at his 40-year-old owner.
The injured man was among a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Dog shoots man in New Zealand.

4 killed in heavy rains in Honduras

4 die in heavy rains in Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Four people have been killed and another injured following a week of heavy rains in Honduras.

The country’s Permanent Emergency Commission says three men died Monday while trying to cross rain-swollen streams or rivers.
And one teenage boy was killed and an 11-year-old injured when their house partially …. Read the original article  : here.

Teen stabs mother’s boyfriend to death

NEW YORK – A 15-year-old boy stabbed his mother’s boyfriend to death after the man disconnected the cable television connection, police said.

Adruis Ovalles, a resident of the Bronx area, plunged a knife into the chest of 26-year-old Albert Matthew Hartzog three times, despite his mother’s pleas to stop, Fox News reported.
The teen had vanished … Original article on : Teen stabs mother’s boyfriend to death.

Haiti quake victims furious as floods sweep through ’safe’ camp for refugees

Haiti: Summer storm floods ’safe’ refugee camp
CORAIL-CESSELESSE, Haiti – A summer storm ripped through tents and sent solar-powered streetlights crashing down at the government’s primary relocation camp for people left homeless by the January earthquake.
The storm damage on Monday, six months to the day after the disaster, intensified questions about why people were … Original source on Gaea Times at : Haiti quake victims furious as floods sweep through ’safe’ camp for refugees.

Four gangmen run over by train, three die

LUCKNOW – Three railway employees repairing tracks were killed when they were run over by a train in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district Wednesday. A fourth gangman is critically injured.

The four gangmen were carrying out some repair work on the tracks when they came under the Jammu Tawi-Kanpur Express near Agvanpur railway station in Moradabad, about … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Four gangmen run over by train, three die.

Oil will keep spewing into the Gulf of Mexico while more analysis is done on new cap

Gulf oil to keep flowing while cap is analyzed

NEW ORLEANS – The plan to start choking off oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico was suddenly halted as government officials and BP said further analysis must be done Wednesday before critical tests could proceed.
No explanation was given for the decision, and no date was set … Original article on : Oil will keep spewing into the Gulf of Mexico while more analysis is done on new cap.

Mumbai Port Trust Gas Leak Kills 3

MUMBAI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Mumbai Port Trust witnessed a major gas leak which killed three people on Wednesday. Reportedly, the killings were caused by inhaling chlorine gas which leaked from the cylinders that were kept near the Mumbai Port Trust area.
Besides three deaths, 60 other has been hospitalized out of which six were said to be … Original article on : Mumbai Port Trust Gas Leak Kills 3.

NATO: 3 international troops die in attack on police headquarters in Afghanistan’s Kandahar

3 NATO troops die in attack on Kandahar police HQ

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – NATO says three of its troops and five civilians have been killed in an attack on police headquarters in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.
An Afghan official says a police officer also died in the attack late Tuesday night.
A statement from the international …. Read the original article  : NATO: 3 international troops die in attack on police headquarters in Afghanistan’s Kandahar.

Rescue work on in flood-hit Mansa in Punjab

CHANDIGARH – Rescue work was on in Punjab’s Mansa district Wednesday where several acres of agricultural land were inundated and many villages submerged as water overflowed from the Ghaggar river.

“The flood situation is grim in Sardulgarh area. Nearly 25 villages are flooded and most of the residents have been shifted to safe locations. We are …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Rescue work on in flood-hit Mansa in Punjab.

9 killed, 10 fishermen missing as typhoon lashes Philippines, causes outages, cancels flights

9 killed, 10 missing as typhoon lashes Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The first typhoon to lash the Philippines this year killed at least nine people and left 11 others missing Wednesday after flooding streets in the capital and toppling power lines.
Typhoon Conson slammed into northeast Quezon province with winds of 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour …. Source  : 9 killed, 10 fishermen missing as typhoon lashes Philippines, causes outages, cancels flights.

Death sentences commuted for six in Khairlanji massacre case

NAGPUR – The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court Wednesday commuted the death sentences of six people accused in the massacre of a Dalit family in Khairlanji in 2006 and gave them life imprisonment of 25 years each.

The much awaited verdict was given by a division bench comprising Justices A.P. Lawande and R.C. …. Source  : Death sentences commuted for six in Khairlanji massacre case.

Delhi building collapse kills six of family

NEW DELHI – Six members of a family died when their house in Brahmpuri area of northeast Delhi collapsed early Wednesday, police said.

The three-storied building had been in a bad shape after Monday’s heavy rains.
According to the neighbours, the family had noticed some cracks in the wall and was planning to shift …. Read the original article  : Delhi building collapse kills six of family.

A woman killed every two hours in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, July 14 (IANS/EFE) A woman is killed every two hours in Brazil and this average puts the country in 12th place among nations registering the most violent deaths of women, a study has said.

Most of the victims are killed by relatives, husbands, boyfriends, former partners or men they rejected, the 2010 Map …. Read the original article  : here.

The Sobhraj storyline (To go with: No evidence against me: Charles Sobhraj)

KATHMANDU – Charles Sobhraj’s crime history and legal battle in Nepal:

December 1975: The badly burnt bodies of American tourist Connie Jo Bronzich and an unidentified man found in Kathmandu valley. Police later claimed the body to be of Canadian Laurent Armand Carriere.
1976: Charles Sobhraj arrested in New Delhi and Nepal police put together new … Original source on Gaea Times at : The Sobhraj storyline (To go with: No evidence against me: Charles Sobhraj).

No evidence against me: Charles Sobhraj

KATHMANDU – As his sensational seven-year battle against a three-decade-old murder conviction draws closer, Charles Sobhraj, once dubbed various monikers by the press, some flattering, some spine-tingling, remains cool and confident.

“There is no evidence against me,” the 66-year-old son of a Parsi clothes merchant and Vietnamese mother told IANS. “Had they had a shred of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : No evidence against me: Charles Sobhraj.

Drug peddler arrested with heroin worth Rs.1 crore

LUCKNOW – A drug peddler, carrying heroin worth Rs.1 crore, was arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau district, police said Wednesday.

Mumtaz Ahmad, 32, was nabbed Tuesday evening from Dakshintola, about 300 km from Lucknow.
“Acting on a tip-off that an illegal consignment of the drug would be handed over to some men in Mau, we intercepted …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Death sentence commuted to life for six in Khairlanji masscare case

NAGPUR – The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court Wednesday commuted death sentences to life terms for six accused in the gruesome Khairlanji Dalit family massacre case of 2006.

A division bench comprising Justices A.P. Lawande and R.C. Chauhan delivered the much-awaited final verdict in the case, turning down a plea by the Central Bureau …. Source article  : Death sentence commuted to life for six in Khairlanji masscare case.

Camarillo Fire Burns 50 Acres

CAMARILLO (GaeaTimes.com)- On Tuesday as huge plumes of smoke emerged from the forest of Camarillo that lies northwest of Los Angeles, voluntary evacuation have been urged for the residents of the area who are threatened by the wildfire that is threatening the life of around 50 families. The Camarillo wildfire had spread about 50 …. Original article  : Camarillo Fire Burns 50 Acres.

Probe finds 29 Pakistani lawmakers’ have fake degrees

ISLAMABAD – At least 29 Pakistani MPs have been found to have submitted fake degrees in order to contest polls, an official said.

Mehmood Raza, an adviser for the higher education commission, told mediapersons Tuesday: “We received 936 degrees, out of which verification of 511 degrees has been completed and 29 invalid degrees have been found.” …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

16 dead as typhoon batters Philippines

MANILA – At least 16 people were killed and 22 were missing as a powerful typhoon battered the northern and eastern Philippines, officials said Wednesday.

Typhoon Conson made landfall late Tuesday in north-eastern Quezon province, bringing heavy rains and strong winds to Manila and several provinces in the main northern island of Luzon.
Four people were … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 16 dead as typhoon batters Philippines.

Race attack: Indian students’ cars torched in Australia

SYDNEY – A group of international students, mostly Indians, in the Australian city of Adelaide are living in constant fear after a gang fire-bombed three of their cars Tuesday, the latest incident in a series of continuing attacks that have damaged 12 cars in three months.

The students, who live in a block of 13 South … Original source on Gaea Times at : Race attack: Indian students’ cars torched in Australia.

Pacheco to attend assembly with armed escort

PANAJI – In police custody in connection with the suspicious death of his 28-year-old lover, former Goa tourism minister Mickky Pacheco will attend the monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly with armed police escorts, authorities said Wednesday.

Pacheco would be escorted by policemen to the legislative assembly complex if he continues to be in police …. Original source  : Pacheco to attend assembly with armed escort.

Police: Man struck by lightning on driving range at Arizona golf course dies in hospital

Man struck by lightning in Arizona dies
TUCSON, Ariz. – A man who was struck by lightning last weekend at an Arizona golf course has died.

Tucson police said Tuesday that the man died at University Medical Center. He was taken to the hospital Saturday after being hit by lightning while golfing at Fred Enke Golf Course.
The …. Original article  : Police: Man struck by lightning on driving range at Arizona golf course dies in hospital.

12 bodies found on Mexico highway

Mexico City, July 14 (IANS/EFE) Bodies of 11 people, including a woman, with bullet wounds at the back of the head, were found near a highway in Mexico, officials said.

Motorists passing through the Las Yescas area in Tamaulipas state spotted the bodies Monday and called police, the Attorney General’s Office said.
The bodies showed signs … Original source on Gaea Times at : 12 bodies found on Mexico highway.

Goa hotel booked for French officer’s drowning

PANAJI – Goa Police Thursday booked authorities of a hotel in the beach village of Anjuna for negligence after a French naval officer drowned in its swimming pool a day earlier.

Orlati Vincent David, 25, a French Naval officer was posted onboard a warship which had docked at the Goa port recently and was holidaying with … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Goa hotel booked for French officer’s drowning.

Report: China says angry steel worker set bus fire that killed 24

China says passenger set bus fire that killed 24

BEIJING – An angry Chinese steel worker started the shuttle bus fire that killed 24 people and injured 19 near Shanghai earlier this month, state media reported Thursday.
The official Xinhua News Agency cited police in Wuxi, a city near Shanghai, as saying that a 57-year-old employee deliberately … Read more >>>.

Explosion near bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley kills 3, wounds 35

Police: Blast in Pakistani valley kills 3
PESHAWAR, Pakistan – An apparent suicide bombing near a bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley killed three people and wounded at least 35 on Thursday, officials said, a sign that Islamist militants remain active in the northwest region despite a massive army operation against them.

The explosion went off around … Read : Explosion near bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley kills 3, wounds 35.

Probe into workers’ death in Jindal plant begins

RAIPUR – Chhattisgarh police Thursday began probe into the death of two workers at a Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) plant, police said.

Two workers were killed and one injured critically Wednesday at the plant, owned by Congress MP Naveen Jindal, Raigarh district, some 220 km from Raipur.
“We have sent an additional superintendent … Read more : Probe into workers’ death in Jindal plant begins.

Top Indonesian model detained over sex video

JAKARTA – An Indonesian model and television presenter has been detained for being uncooperative in an investigation into sex videos allegedly involving her and her rockstar boyfriend, police said Thursday.

Luna Maya, one of the country’s most famous celebrities, was picked up by police Wednesday night, said a national police spokesman, Marwoto Soeto.
“She wasn’t being … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Top Indonesian model detained over sex video.

Explosion near bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley kills 2, wounds 35

Police: Blast in Pakistani valley kills 2
PESHAWAR, Pakistan – An explosion near a bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley killed two people and wounded at least 35 people Thursday, officials said, a sign that Islamist militants remain active in the northwest region despite a massive army operation against them.

The explosion went off around noon in … Original article on : Explosion near bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley kills 2, wounds 35.

Woman posing as Dubai ruler’s daughter held

LUDHIANA – A 40-year-old woman, who posed as the daughter of Dubai’s ruler and tried to dupe the family of one of the 17 Indian youths on death row in the UAE, has been arrested in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, an official said Thursday.

Sarabjit Kaur, a resident of Mahianwala village near Zira town in Ferozepur district, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Woman posing as Dubai ruler’s daughter held.

Police say explosion near bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley wounds at least 7

Police: Blast in Pakistani valley wounds 7

MINGORA, Pakistan – Police say an explosion near a bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley has wounded at least seven people.
Police official Rehmat Khan says the blast went off Thursday around noon in Mingora, the main town in Swat.
The valley was the scene of a major Pakistani military operation … Read : Police say explosion near bus terminal in Pakistan’s Swat Valley wounds at least 7.

Indian-origin doctor appeals conviction in Australia

SYDNEY – Jayant Patel, an Indian origin doctor sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm on patients at an Australian hospital, Thursday appealed against his sentence and conviction.

His lawyers lodged the papers in the Queensland Court of Appeal late Thursday afternoon, Australian news agency AAP reported.
Dubbed “Dr …. Read the original article  : here.

BP works to fix valve leak on cap that could choke off oil leaking into Gulf of Mexico

BP works to fix valve leak before choking oil flow

NEW ORLEANS – BP engineers working to choke the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico found a leak on a line attached to the side of the new well cap and were trying to fix it Thursday before attempting to stop the flow of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : BP works to fix valve leak on cap that could choke off oil leaking into Gulf of Mexico.

Case against ‘unknown persons’ in chlorine gas leak

MUMBAI – Mumbai Police Thursday registered a case against “unknown persons” in connection with the chlorine gas leak at the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) premises that led to 100 people falling sick.

“A First Information Report (FIR) under the Environment Protection Act has been registered against unknown persons. Probe is on in the matter,” said … Read more >>>.

CIA paid Iranian scientist $5 mn: Report

WASHINGTON – The Iranian nuclear scientist, who returned to Iran early Thursday after claiming he had been abducted by the US, received more than $5 million from the CIA for providing intelligence, The Washington Post reported.

The Post Thursday quoted unnamed officials as saying that Shahram Amiri would not have to give back the money but … Read more »».

Andhra district still tense after police firing

HYDERABAD – The situation in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district continued to be tense Thursday, a day after police firing on villagers protesting against a thermal power project killed two and the ensuing violence left about 150 injured.

People in Sompeta area and surrounding villages of Srikakulam district, around 600 km from here, lived in fear as [..] Read the original article: here.

Domestic violence deaths rise 40 percent in Argentina

Buenos Aires, July 15 (IANS/EFE) A total of 126 women died as a result of domestic violence in Argentina during the first half of this year, 40 percent more than during the same period in 2009, according to statistics published by the organisation La Casa del Encuentro.

The report is based on the cases reported in …. Original article  : Domestic violence deaths rise 40 percent in Argentina.

Wildlife toll mounts in Gulf as oil hits Louisiana’s largest seabird nesting ground

Oil hits Louisiana’s largest seabird nesting area

NEW ORLEANS – Biologists say oil has smeared at least 300-400 pelicans and hundreds of terns in the largest seabird nesting area along the Louisiana coast – marking a sharp and sudden escalation in wildlife harmed by BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The finding underscores that official tallies of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Wildlife toll mounts in Gulf as oil hits Louisiana’s largest seabird nesting ground.

Researchers say 300-400 pelicans oiled in Louisiana’s largest pelican nesting ground

Oil hits Louisiana’s largest pelican nesting area

NEW ORLEANS – Biologists say oil has smeared at least 300-400 pelicans and hundreds of terns in the largest seabird nesting area on the Louisiana coast – marking a sharp and sudden increase in wildlife damage from BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Biologist Marc Dantzker said Wednesday that a … Read more : Researchers say 300-400 pelicans oiled in Louisiana’s largest pelican nesting ground.

BP says leak was discovered in valve and is being repaired as it works to stop oil

BP says isolated leak discovered in valve on cap

NEW ORLEANS – BP says a leak has been detected near the top of a new cap designed to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, but it was isolated and being repaired.
The leak was discovered after the oil giant started shutting off valves … Read : BP says leak was discovered in valve and is being repaired as it works to stop oil.

Power slowly restored after typhoon sweeps through Philippines, killing 26

Power back after typhoon kills 26 in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Electricity was restored in the Philippine capital, flights resumed and schools reopened Thursday after the first typhoon of the season killed at least 26 people and plunged most of the main northern island into darkness.
Thirty-eight people remained missing, mostly fishermen caught by Typhoon Conson’s fury …. Original article  : Power slowly restored after typhoon sweeps through Philippines, killing 26.

‘Abducted’ Iranian scientist back in Tehran

BERLIN – The Iranian scientist who was allegedly abducted by the United States arrived in Tehran Thursday, state media reported.

While showing a victory sign, Shahram Amiri was welcomed at Tehran’s IKIA airport by deputy foreign minister Hassan Ghashghavi as well as his wife, son and parents.
Amiri has said Wednesday that once back in Iran, …. Original article  : ‘Abducted’ Iranian scientist back in Tehran.

NKorea, US-led UN Command meet to discuss deadly sinking of SKorean warship

NKorea, US-led UN Command meet to discuss sinking

SEOUL, South Korea – Military officers from North Korea and the American-led U.N. Command met Thursday for talks on the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship that has been blamed on Pyongyang.
Colonel-level officers gathered at the Korean border village of Panmunjom for about 90 minutes, U.N. Command …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : NKorea, US-led UN Command meet to discuss deadly sinking of SKorean warship.

Toll for double Iran mosque bombing rises to 27, may increase further

Death toll for Iran mosque bombing rises to 27

TEHRAN, Iran – The death toll for twin bombings outside a mosque in southeast Iran rose to 27, Iranian media reported Friday, making it one of the deadliest attacks in years.
Iranian Health Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastagerdi told the semiofficial ISNA news agency that another 270 were injured, … Read more : Toll for double Iran mosque bombing rises to 27, may increase further.

Missing girl found after seven years in US

WASHINGTON – A girl, missing for the past seven years in the US, was found by police hidden in a shower under a pile of clothes and towels.

When officials showed up at a house in Arizona looking for the missing California girl, the family inside were “evasive and untruthful”, said Capt Patrick Maxwell of the …. Source article  : Missing girl found after seven years in US.

First family to visit scenic Maine park, hope to leave behind the Obama travel jinx

Obamas head to family weekend on Maine coast
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama and his family are heading off Friday for the weekend to a spectacular national park on the coast of Maine, no doubt hoping this latest jaunt doesn’t fall victim to the Obama family travel hex.
That would be the one in which …. Source article  : First family to visit scenic Maine park, hope to leave behind the Obama travel jinx.

With Gulf geyser under control, coastal residents watch and wait to see if it holds

Gulf geyser stops gushing, but will it hold?
NEW ORLEANS – Now the wait begins.
BP finally gained control over one of America’s biggest environmental catastrophes by placing a carefully fitted cap over a runaway geyser that has been gushing crude into the Gulf of Mexico since early spring. Engineers, politicians and Gulf residents will … Read more : With Gulf geyser under control, coastal residents watch and wait to see if it holds.

Oil flow stopped, US environment nightmare not yet over

WASHINGTON – For the first time in nearly three months, the gushing oil from BP’s ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico has stopped with a robotic submersible slowly closing a valve, but America’s worst environmental disaster is not yet over.

The technological breakthrough came as BP finally began an “integrity test” Thursday, 87 days …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Oil flow stopped, US environment nightmare not yet over.

Blaze engulfs hotel in Iraq’s Kurdish north, killing 29 including foreigners, say police

Hotel fire kills 29, including foreigners, in Iraq

BAGHDAD – A fire in a five-story hotel in northern Iraq killed 29 people, including foreigners, police and hospital officials in the city of Sulaimaniyah said on Friday. At least some of the victims appeared to have died as they jumped from the windows to escape the blaze.
Chief …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Lebanon is booming 20 years after civil war, but still cannot produce enough power

Lebanon is booming but no end to power outages

BEIRUT – On a typical night out in Beirut, glitzy nightclubs thrum with revelers, tourists pack breezy seaside restaurants and the lights from brand-new, million-dollar skyscrapers dot the horizon.
But beneath Lebanon’s gleaming exterior lies a creaky, third-world infrastructure that is preventing the country from fully emerging from …. Source  : Lebanon is booming 20 years after civil war, but still cannot produce enough power.

Man held for dowry in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR – A 30-year-old man was arrested in Chhattisgarh on charges of harassing his wife for dowry and threatening to post MMS clips of their sexual relationship on the internet, police said Friday.

The accused, Suraj Chetwani, was arrested here late Thursday while accepting money from his father-in-law.
Suraj had been torturing his wife for … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Man held for dowry in Chhattisgarh.

NATO airstrike kills Taliban commander in north

NATO airstrike kills Taliban commander in north

KABUL, Afghanistan – An official says a NATO airstrike killed a Taliban commander responsible for a suicide attack on a U.S. aid program in northern Afghanistan.
The police chief of Kunduz province in the north said Friday that a precision airstrike killed a local Taliban commander who uses the alias …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : NATO airstrike kills Taliban commander in north.

Judge recuses himself from hearing Pacheco’s case

PANAJI – A Bombay High Court judge for the second time in a month recused himself from hearing a bail petition filed by former Goa tourism minister Mickky Pacheco, arrested in connection with the suspicious death of his alleged lover.

N.A. Britto, a judge at the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court, recused himself … Original article on : Judge recuses himself from hearing Pacheco’s case.

Official says bomb at market in Pakistani tribal area kills 6, wounds 15

Official: Bomb kills 6 in Pakistan tribal area

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A powerful bomb blast ripped through a busy market in an area along the Afghan border Friday, killing at least six people and wounding 15 others, a Pakistani official said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in the Khyber, a tribal region whose security …. Original article  : Official says bomb at market in Pakistani tribal area kills 6, wounds 15.

Blaze engulfs hotel in Iraq’s Kurdish north, killing 29 people, including Canadian, say police

Hotel fire kills 29, including Canadian, in Iraq

BAGHDAD – A police chief in northern Iraq says a fire engulfed a five-story hotel killing 29 people, including foreigners.
Police Brig. Gen. Najim-al-Din Qadir of the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniyah says an electrical short caused the fire. The victims include Bangladeshis, several from African countries and at … Read more : Blaze engulfs hotel in Iraq’s Kurdish north, killing 29 people, including Canadian, say police.

Oil flow stopped at BP oil well

WASHINGTON – For the first time in nearly three months, oil has stopped flowing into the Gulf of Mexico as a robotic submersible slowly closed a valve on BP’s ruptured well’s new sealing cap.

The technological breakthrough came as BP finally began an “integrity test” Thursday, 87 days into the crisis, which began with the April … Original source on Gaea Times at : Oil flow stopped at BP oil well.

NTPC engineer found dead

LUCKNOW – A senior engineer with power generation major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar district Friday, police said.

R.P. Pal’s body was found inside the NTPC complex in Tanda town, some 200 km from Lucknow, by some officials.
“The engineer’s body bears injury marks on …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : NTPC engineer found dead.

Three Uttar Pradesh cops arrested in arms smuggling scam

LUCKNOW – Three policemen have been arrested from Uttar Pradesh for their suspected involvement in what is known here as the cartridges scam which involved smuggling of arms from government armouries and selling them to Maoists, an official said Friday.

The scam was busted in April after the arrest of a retired sub-inspector Yashodanandan Singh from … Read more >>>.

Oil Spill Stopped Temporarily

NEW ORLEANS (GaeaTimes.com)- The oil spill was stopped by BP on Thursday which was gushing from the Gulf of Mexico but the officials warned that the pipes below the ocean floor might be so damaged that it cannot handle a full seal on a long term basis. BP carefully monitored half-turns of a … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Oil Spill Stopped Temporarily.

Official says explosion at market in Pakistani tribal area kills 3, wounds 7

Official: Blast kills 3 in Pakistan tribal area

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A government official says an explosion at a market in a Pakistani tribal area has killed three people and wounded seven.
Umair Khan says the blast occurred in the Tirah Valley, a remote part of the Khyber tribal region. The exact cause of the Friday blast … Original source on Gaea Times at : Official says explosion at market in Pakistani tribal area kills 3, wounds 7.

20 of family kept hostage as robbers ransack home

CHANDIGARH – More than 20 members of a family were kept hostage in Haryana’s Panchkula town Friday morning while robbers ransacked their home and decamped with valuables and cash worth lakhs of rupees.

Police said five-six robbers entered a house here in Sector 10 at around 5 a.m. and kept 20 members of the family …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Iranian authorities say toll for mosque boming has risen to 22, may increase further

Death toll for Iran mosque bombing rises to 22

TEHRAN,Iran – An Iranian official says the toll for an explosion outside a mosque Thursday night has risen to 22 and may increase further.
Ali Mohammad Azad, governor general of Sistan-Baluchistan province has told state TV that “some 22 people were killed instantly” in the twin bombing in …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Iranian authorities say toll for mosque boming has risen to 22, may increase further.

Army finds mass graves in Mexico

Monterrey (Mexico), July 16 (IANS/EFE) Army troops found five mass graves, barrels containing bones and other human remains at an automotive junkyard outside Monterrey, the capital of the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, and arrested a suspect, the Defense Secretariat said.

An anonymous caller told authorities that “armed people in vehicles” were in the La …. Read the original article  : here.

Villagers lynch suspected thief in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – Villagers on patrol duty beat a youth to death with iron rods, sticks and bricks after they caught him sneaking into a house in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district, police said Saturday.

Mukesh Kumar, 21, was lynched late Friday in Niyamatpur village, about 300 km from here.
“A group of villagers, who were on patrolling, … Original article on : Villagers lynch suspected thief in Uttar Pradesh.

Sub-divisional magistrate attempts suicide in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – A sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) attempted suicide by shooting himself in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district Saturday morning, police said.

Rajiv Gupta, the SDM of the Maant Tehsil, shot himself in his official residence in Mathura, about 300 km from here.
“He (Gupta) used his licensed revolver to shoot himself. He is critically injured and being [..] Read the original article: here.

Iranian police detain 40 people for double mosque bombing in southeast

Police detains 40 after Iran mosque bombing

TEHRAN, Iran – Iranian police arrested 40 suspects as funerals were underway for the victims of a devastating twin bombings outside a mosque in the southeastern city of Zahedan, local media reported on Saturday.
Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan, Iran’s deputy police chief, told the semiofficial Fars agency that the suspects … Original source on Gaea Times at : Iranian police detain 40 people for double mosque bombing in southeast.

Ex-US official jailed for spying for Cuba

WASHINGTON – A former US official has been sentenced to life imprisonment for working as Cuban spy for nearly three decades.

Kendall Myers, 73, a former State Department analyst, was sentenced to life in prison Friday. His wife Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers, 72, who was also convicted for being part of the crime, received a sentence of …. Original source  : Ex-US official jailed for spying for Cuba.

Drunk CRPF trooper kills six colleagues, shot dead

RANCHI – A drunk Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable gunned down six of his colleagues, including an assistant commandant, in a security camp in Jharkhand’s Saraikela district late Friday night. He was later shot dead, police said Saturday.

Constable Harpinder Singh started firing indiscriminately from his automatic rifle around 10.30 p.m. Friday and killed six …. Source article  : Drunk CRPF trooper kills six colleagues, shot dead.

Typhoon Conson becomes a tropical storm after leaving dozens dead in Philippines, 2 in China

Typhoon Conson reduces to storm on way to Vietnam

BEIJING – A typhoon that left dozens dead in the Philippines and killed two in southern China wrecked several Vietnamese ships Saturday while churning toward northern Vietnam as a strong tropical storm.
China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency said several Vietnamese ships had been wrecked off islands in the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Typhoon Conson becomes a tropical storm after leaving dozens dead in Philippines, 2 in China.

Roadside bomb kills 2 NATO troops in Afghanistan’s volatile south

Blast kills 2 NATO troops in southern Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – A roadside bomb killed two NATO troops in southern Afghanistan, the international force said Saturday, adding to a violent summer as coalition forces step up patrols in the Taliban-dominated south.
The NATO-led force did not give details of Friday’s explosion. It said one of the troops … Original article on : Roadside bomb kills 2 NATO troops in Afghanistan’s volatile south.

Clooney testifies in Italy court

Milan, July 17 (IANS/AKI) Hollywood star George Clooney testified before a Milan court as part of a trial of a fraud case involving three men accused of using the actor’s name for a fashion label.

The 49-year-old actor, dressed in an elegant blue suit, responded to Judge Pietro Caccialanza’s questions with the help of an interpreter … Read more : Clooney testifies in Italy court.

Man who held up NY store while attached to oxygen tank dies in Md. accident after police chase

Oxygen-toting robber who fled NY dies in Md. crash

NEW YORK – Authorities say a man who robbed a New York City store while attached to an oxygen tank has died in a car accident in Maryland.
Police say the man, identified as 63-year-old Arthur Williams, of Gadsden, Ala., walked into a Turkish men’s wear store in …. Original article  : Man who held up NY store while attached to oxygen tank dies in Md. accident after police chase.

Seven CRPF men killed in Jharkhand fratricidal shooting

RANCHI – Seven Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed in a fratricidal shooting in a security camp in Jharkhand’s Saraikela district, police said Saturday.

One trooper, who was drunk, started firing indiscriminately and killed six CRPF men late Friday. He was later killed by other troopers who were present in the Kuchai CRPF camp, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Seven CRPF men killed in Jharkhand fratricidal shooting.

12 killed in shootout between soldiers, gunmen in Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo

12 killed in shootout in Mexico border city

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – A drug cartel has used a car bomb for the first time in Mexico’s decades-long fight against traffickers, setting a deadly trap against federal police in a city across the border from Texas, the mayor of Ciudad Juarez said Friday.
Mayor Jose Reyes said federal …. Original article  : 12 killed in shootout between soldiers, gunmen in Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo.

NASCAR Trucks race at Gateway postponed by power outage, moved to Saturday afternoon

NASCAR Trucks race postponed by power outage

MADISON, Ill. – A NASCAR trucks race has been postponed because of a power failure at Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis.
The race was moved to Saturday at 12:30 Central time. Lights went out in and around the 1.25-mile oval at 7:55 p.m., 23 minutes before the scheduled start … Read more : NASCAR Trucks race at Gateway postponed by power outage, moved to Saturday afternoon.

5,000 people arrested during FIFA World Cup

WASHINGTON – Over 5,000 people were arrested and nearly $10 million seized in an operation across Asia targeting illegal soccer gambling during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Interpol said.

The international police agency coordinated a month-long operation from June 11 to July 11, targeting activities linked to organised crime, in which police raided 800 illegal gambling …. Original article  : 5,000 people arrested during FIFA World Cup.

200 policemen assaulted in Beijing in 2010

BEIJING – Over 200 police officers were assaulted while on duty in Beijing in 2010, and most of the attackers were “jobless and undereducated” people.

Around 89 percent of the attackers were male, and 60 percent belonged to places outside Beijing, Xinhua reported citing a Public Security Bureau statement.
Beijing police authorities are compiling a list … Original article on : 200 policemen assaulted in Beijing in 2010.

2 killed, flights canceled as Typhoon Conson strikes southern China

2 killed as typhoon strikes southern China

BEIJING – A typhoon that left dozens dead in the Philippines and killed two in southern China wrecked several Vietnamese ships Saturday while churning toward northern Vietnam as a strong tropical storm.
China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency said several Vietnamese ships had been wrecked off islands in the South China … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 2 killed, flights canceled as Typhoon Conson strikes southern China.

Four killed in plane crash in Canada

TORONTO – A small plane with six people on board crashed in Canada’s Quebec province Friday, killing four and injuring the other two.

Due to bad weather, the pilot was trying to land the plane near a lake in Maria-Chapdelaine region, north of Lac Saint-Jean, when the accident occurred, Xinhua reported citing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Four killed in plane crash in Canada.

Haitians pray, party their earthquake troubles away in pilgrimage to sacred waterfall

Quake troubles wash away in sacred Haiti waterfall

SAUT D’EAU, Haiti – Pilgrims, partiers and profit-seekers flocked to a sacred Haitian waterfall Friday where Voodoo and Christian faithful prayed for a better life after six grueling months of post-earthquake trouble.
The annual pilgrimage to Saut d’Eau venerates the site where believers say the Virgin Mary – whom … Read more »»».

June 2010 deadliest month for US army

WASHINGTON – Thirty-two American soldiers killed themselves in June this year, the highest ever in a month for the US army.

Twenty-one of the suicide victims were on active duty, while 11 were on reserve and on the National Guard troops, Prensa Latina reported.
A total of 245 soldiers killed themselves in 2009, with about 70 … Read : June 2010 deadliest month for US army.

Mexican drug gang uses car bomb for 1st time in deadly attack on federal police in border city

Car bomb signals new dimension to Mexican drug war

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – A drug cartel has used a car bomb for the first time in Mexico’s decades-long fight against traffickers, setting a deadly trap against federal police in a city across the border from Texas, the mayor of Ciudad Juarez said Friday.
Mayor Jose Reyes said …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

BP says no signs that capped Gulf well has started leaking below ground

BP: No signs that capped Gulf well leaking
NEW ORLEANS – BP says there are no signs that its busted Gulf of Mexico well has started leaking underground more than a day after it was capped.
Kent Wells, a BP PLC vice president, said on a Friday evening conference call that engineers are closely monitoring … Read more : BP says no signs that capped Gulf well has started leaking below ground.

‘Drug dealers can meet visitors in Goa jails, legislators can’t’

PANAJI – A drug dealer can meet visitors in the prison, but an arrested legislator is not allowed to meet another legislator in Goa, a Congress leader said Sunday, accusing the police of partisan behaviour.

Agnelo Fernandes, a ruling party legislator from Calangute legislative constituency had gone to meet former tourism minister Mickky Pachecho – …. Read the original article  : here.

Afghan official: Suicide bomb in Kabul kills at least 3 civilians ahead of int’l conference

Suicide bomb in Afghan capital kills 3 civilians

KABUL, Afghanistan – A suicide bombing in eastern Kabul killed three civilians on Sunday, two days before an international conference that will host representatives from about 60 nations, an Afghan official said.
Police official Abdul Ghafor Sayedzada said the bomber was on foot and his target was unclear. Other … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Afghan official: Suicide bomb in Kabul kills at least 3 civilians ahead of int’l conference.

Afghan official: Explosion in Kabul wounds civilians; witness says attack targeted NATO convoy

Explosion in Afghan capital wounds civilians

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says a suicide bombing in eastern Kabul has wounded several civilians.
The blast comes two days before an international conference in Kabul hosting representatives from about 60 nations.
An eyewitness says a suicide bomber on foot targeted a passing NATO convoy. The international force says it … Original article on : Afghan official: Explosion in Kabul wounds civilians; witness says attack targeted NATO convoy.

Officials say death toll in suicide bombing in district near Baghdad rises to 43

Death toll in Iraq suicide bombing rises to 43

BAGHDAD – Iraqi officials say the death toll in the suicide bombing near Baghdad has risen to 43.
The bomber blew himself up Sunday morning, targeting security personnel in a mostly Sunni district southwest of Baghdad.
The dead were mostly members of an anti-al-Qaida security force known as Sahwa …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Brothers arrested for killing sister’s boyfriend

RANCHI – Enraged over their sister’s love affair with a classmate, four brothers thrashed the boy badly and killed him in Jharkhand’s steel city Bokaro, police said Sunday. The four accused have been arrested.

Virat, a Class 12 student of Bokaro Public School, Saturday went to meet his girlfriend Nupur.
The girl’s brothers, who were … Read more >>.

Interrogation into Briton murder case re-started

DHARAMSALA – The Himachal Pradesh Police has re-started interrogation into the murder of British charity worker Michael Blakey in Dharamsala, an official said Sunday.

Blakey, part of an Indian charity, was murdered in November 2006. His body was found beneath boulders in a shallow stream running through an old British cemetery. His post-mortem reports confirmed that …. Original source  : Interrogation into Briton murder case re-started.

Snake charmer held for selling endangered cobras

MORINDA – A snake charmer was arrested from this Punjab town for selling endangered black cobras and bird species. He would sell the venom to representatives of pharmaceutical companies in several states, police said Sunday.

Ramesh Nath Feroze, a resident of a slum rehabilitation area in Morinda town of Ropar district, about 40 km from …. Original article  : Snake charmer held for selling endangered cobras.

Bus falls into river in southwestern China; 27 feared dead, 11 rescued

Bus falls into river in SW China, 27 feared dead

BEIJING – A bus plunged into a river in southwestern China early Sunday, leaving 27 people on board missing and feared dead, state media reported. Rescuers were able to save 11 others.
The official Xinhua News agency said the accident occurred in southwestern Sichuan province when the …. Source article  : Bus falls into river in southwestern China; 27 feared dead, 11 rescued.

2 killed, 11 prisoners escape as bomb, Taliban attacks aid jailbreak in western Afghanistan

11 escape as Taliban attacks aid Afghan jailbreak

KABUL, Afghanistan – A smuggled bomb exploded at a western Afghan prison just as Taliban fighters staged coordinated attacks on four police checkpoints early Sunday, allowing 11 inmates – including suspected insurgents – to escape, officials said.
A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the brazen jailbreak in Farah province, …. Source  : 2 killed, 11 prisoners escape as bomb, Taliban attacks aid jailbreak in western Afghanistan.

27 missing after bus falls into China river

BEIJING – Twenty-seven people were missing after a bus they were riding in fell into a river in southwest China’s Sichuan province Sunday, authorities said.

The emergency response center with Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture said that 11 passengers were saved.
The bus, registered in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous prefecture, fell into Dajin river inside … Original article on : 27 missing after bus falls into China river.

Strong earthquake shakes distant island region of Alaska; no tsunami danger

Strong earthquake shakes Alaska island region

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A powerful earthquake shook a remote Aleutian Island region of Alaska late Saturday, but there were no reports of damage or injury and no threat of a tsunami, officials said.
The 6.7-magnitude temblor struck at 9:56 p.m. and was centered in the Bering Sea about 155 miles southwest …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Strong earthquake shakes distant island region of Alaska; no tsunami danger.

Major fire in Delhi showroom

NEW DELHI – A major fire broke out in a shoe showroom in central Delhi Sunday morning, an official said.

The fire broke out around 11.15 a.m. in the Baluja showroom in Connaught Place.
“The fire is still on. We are trying to control it. Six fire tenders have been sent to douse the flames,” the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Major fire in Delhi showroom.

Scientists get another day to study cap that is bottling up busted oil well in Gulf of Mexico

Scientists get another day to study Gulf spill cap

NEW ORLEANS – Scientists got an extra day to evaluate whether the giant cork bottling BP’s busted well in the Gulf of Mexico will hold, while officials overseeing the disaster pondered their next step.
After days of watching, engineers still saw no signs of any leak in the … Read more »».

Zsa Zsa Gabor hospitalized with broken bones after falling out of bed in her Bel Air home

Zsa Zsa Gabor hospitalized with broken bones

LOS ANGELES – Zsa Zsa Gabor’s publicist says the 93-year-old actress has been rushed to a hospital after falling out of bed and breaking several bones.
John Blanchette says Gabor was watching television in her Bel Air home Saturday evening when she reached to answer the phone and tumbled to [..] Read the original article: here.

State media says bus falls off a cliff in southwestern China, killing 23 people on board

Bus falls off cliff in southwest China, killing 23

BEIJING – State media says a bus has fallen off a cliff in southwestern China, killing 23 people on board.
The official Xinhua News agency says the bus was traveling from Ma’erkang County in Sichuan province to the provincial capital of Chengdu when it plummeted off a mountain … Read more >>>.

2 killed, 11 prisoners escape after smuggled explosives used in western Afghanistan jailbreak

Taliban claim blast that freed 11 from Afghan jail

KABUL, Afghanistan – A blast from smuggled-in explosives at a prison in western Afghanistan killed a guard and allowed 11 inmates to escape early Sunday, officials said. One prisoner was shot and killed while fleeing.
A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the jailbreak, saying it freed insurgent comrades … Original source on Gaea Times at : 2 killed, 11 prisoners escape after smuggled explosives used in western Afghanistan jailbreak.

Typhoon Conson dies down, leaves 8 missing in Vietnam after slamming Philippines and China

Tail end of Typhoon Conson hits Vietnam; 8 missing

HANOI, Vietnam – Eight people were missing in Vietnam on Sunday as the tail end of Typhoon Conson blew ashore after battering the Philippines and China and killing dozens.
The storm made landfall on Vietnam’s northern coast Saturday night. Six fishermen remained missing after their boat sank as …. Original source  : Typhoon Conson dies down, leaves 8 missing in Vietnam after slamming Philippines and China.

Wildfire knocked down near Ronald Reagan’s former ranch in mountains north of Santa Barbara

Wildfire out near Reagan Ranch near Santa Barbara

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Authorities say a brush fire near the California ranch of former President Ronald Reagan has been knocked down after burning 10 acres and sending thick smoke over mountains north of Santa Barbara.
U.S. Forest Service spokesman Eric Garcia says firefighters using water-dropping helicopters fully surrounded … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Wildfire knocked down near Ronald Reagan’s former ranch in mountains north of Santa Barbara.

28 killed in China mine accident

BEIJING – At least 28 miners were killed when an underground cable caught fire inside a coal mine in China’s Shaanxi province, officials said Sunday.

The incident occurred at around 8.10 p.m. Saturday at the Xiaonangou coal mine in Hancheng city, Xinhua reported citing a provincial government statement.
… Read more »».

28 miners killed in electrical fire triggered inside coal shaft in northern China

28 miners killed in accident in northern China

BEIJING – An electrical fire inside a coal shaft in northern China left 28 miners dead, a government official said Sunday.
An official with the State Administration of Work Safety said the accident, triggered when an electrical cable caught fire, happened Saturday evening at the privately owned Xiaonangou coal … Original article on : 28 miners killed in electrical fire triggered inside coal shaft in northern China.

60 dead, 150 injured in West Bengal train accident (Afternoon Lead)

SAINTHIA – At least 60 people were killed and 150 injured when a speeding passenger train ploughed through a train standing at a station in West Bengal’s Birbhum district in the early hours of Monday.

The Sealdah-bound Uttar Banga Express rammed into three coaches, one luggage van and two unreserved general second class coaches, of the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : 60 dead, 150 injured in West Bengal train accident (Afternoon Lead).

Bengal announces Rs.3 lakh compensation for train victims

KOLKATA – The West Bengal government has announced compensation of Rs.3 lakh each for the families of those killed in the railway accident at Sainthia in Birbhum district Monday.

Announcing this, Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said the state government would also bear the entire expenses for treatment of the injured in the accident that occurred at …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

BP, feds disagree over what to do next with capped oil, seep near well causes new concerns

Spill success marred by BP, government bickering

NEW ORLEANS – With a newly installed cap keeping oil from BP’s busted well out of the Gulf during a trial run, this weekend offered a chance for the oil company and government to gloat over their shared success – the first real victory in fighting the spill. Instead, …. Read the original article  : BP, feds disagree over what to do next with capped oil, seep near well causes new concerns.

Student’s suicide: police to question friend’s father

NEW DELHI – Delhi Police will question the man, who scolded a 17-year-old student for being friends with his daughter, leading to the teenager committing suicide, an official said Monday.

“The victim’s family has registered a complaint against the girl’s father, alleging that his behaviour incited the teenager to commit suicide. We will interrogate the girl’s …. Source article  : Student’s suicide: police to question friend’s father.

At least 61 people killed in train collision in eastern India, more than 100 others injured

61 people killed as trains collide in east India
CALCUTTA, INDIA (ap) – A speeding express train plowed into a stationary passenger train in eastern India on Monday, killing 61 people in a crash so powerful it sent the roof of one car flying onto an overpass. Officials said they could not rule out … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : At least 61 people killed in train collision in eastern India, more than 100 others injured.

Train Accident Victim In Trinidad Identified

TRINIDAD, CARIBBEAN ISLAND (GaeaTimes.com)- Police have been able to identify a man who was killed in a train accident at Las Animas County in Trinidad last Friday. According to the Colorado State Patrol officials the man was killed when his truck accidentally struck against an Amtrak train in Trinidad. The accident which took place on … Read more >>.

Train passengers’ kin desperately seek information

KOLKATA – Worried relatives of the passengers in the Vananchal Express and the Uttar Banga Express involved in an accident Monday dashed from one station to another to know whether their near and dear ones were dead or alive.

“My mother-in-law Mala Roy and my wife were coming from Coochbehar. They were in the Uttar Banga …. Original source  : Train passengers’ kin desperately seek information.

RICO lawsuits accuse BP, Transocean of running longterm criminal racket in Gulf operations

RICO law made to combat Mafia used in BP lawsuits

MIAMI – Using a law originally enacted to combat the Mafia, attorneys are filing lawsuits accusing BP PLC and Transocean Ltd. of committing a longterm series of crimes by concealing flaws in deepwater drilling plans and lacking safeguards to contain a catastrophic Gulf of Mexico spill.
BP … Read more »».

With Gulf’s underwater buffet closed by oil spill, fishing families turn to fast food, burgers

Fishing families turn to fast food, ‘grind meats’

POINTE A LA HACHE, La. – Grow up on the water, the children of southern Louisiana learn, and you’ll never go hungry. As long as you can toss a line, a net or a trap, you can eat – and eat well.
Or you could, until now.
Millions of gallons … Read more : With Gulf’s underwater buffet closed by oil spill, fishing families turn to fast food, burgers.

BP says cost of Gulf of Mexico oil leak reaches nearly $4 billion

BP puts Gulf oil spill cost at nearly $4 billion

LONDON – Oil company BP says that the cost of dealing with the Gulf of Mexico spill has now reached nearly $4 billion.
The company, which last week managed to place a temporary cap on the leak, said Monday it has made payments totaling $207 million to … Read more »».

Sonia anguished over train tragedy

NEW DELHI – Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday expressed “her deep grief and anguish” over the train tragedy in West Bengal in which at least 60 people were killed.

“While conveying her deep condolences to the bereaved families, she also wished speedy recovery for the injured,” said an All India Congress Committee (AICC) statement.
About …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Train Accident In West Bengal: Railway Minister Expresses Doubt

KOLKATA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- In the wake of the another train accident in West Bengal on Monday morning, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has revealed to the media that she is still ’suspicious’ about the circumstances that led to the tragedy. When asked about the probable causes that might have resulted in the mishap, the … Original article on : Train Accident In West Bengal: Railway Minister Expresses Doubt.

West Bengal train accident toll rises to 60

SAINTHIA – The toll in Monday’s train accident at Sainthia in West Bengal’s Birbhum district has shot up to 60, railway sources said.

The 60 victims include 57 passengers and three railway employees, an Eastern Railway release said here.
Over 150 people have been injured.
The accident occurred when the speeding Sealdah-bound Uttar Banga Express rammed … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : West Bengal train accident toll rises to 60.

West Bengal train accident sixth major one in past year

NEW DELHI – The train accident in West Bengal’s Birbhum district Monday in which at least 60 people were killed and 150 injured is the sixth major one in the past one year and the second in less than two months in the state:

- On May 28, 148 people died as Maoists cut open the … Original source on Gaea Times at : West Bengal train accident sixth major one in past year.

Fire in Washington state burns 3 homes, endangers others and covers city in smoke

Wash. state fire burns 3 homes, endangers others

YAKIMA, Wash. – A wildfire in central Washington covered parts of nearby Yakima in smoke, destroyed at least three homes and threatened others late Sunday night, authorities said.
The fire started in the afternoon about 10 miles west of the city’s downtown and grew to 10,000 acres by 11 …. Read the original article  : Fire in Washington state burns 3 homes, endangers others and covers city in smoke.

Massacre of 17 at party in northern Mexico the latest in string of mass killings

Officials say gunmen kill 17 at party in Mexico

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico – The gunmen did not say a word as they jumped from their cars and stormed the private party. They simply opened fire. When they were done, 17 people lay dead and 18 wounded.
Sunday’s massacre in the city of Torreon was ghastly, but no … Original article on : Massacre of 17 at party in northern Mexico the latest in string of mass killings.

From Facebook with love: Status updates from behind prison bars

PANAJI – Prison bars brook no stopping for suspected Israeli drug dealer David Driham alias Dudu as far as updating his latest developments on social networking portal Facebook is concerned.

Arrested for possessing a narcotics cocktail of ecstacy, cocaine, heroine, LSD and charas of Rs.3.81 lakh (about 8,000 USD) Feb 21, Dudu has been updating … Read more : From Facebook with love: Status updates from behind prison bars.

Helpline numbers for West Bengal accident

KOLKATA – Following is a list of helpline numbers started by the railway authorities for information on Monday’s train accident at Sainthia in West Bengal.

At least 60 people were killed and over 150 injured when the speeding Sealdah-bound Uttar Banga Express rammed into three coaches of the stationary Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express at Sainthia station in …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Rs.5 lakh, job to kin of dead in accident: Mamata

KOLKATA – Compensation of Rs.5 lakh will be paid to the kin of those killed in the train accident in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, union Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee said Monday.

She said a job will also be provided to the kin of the dead.
At least 49 people were dead and 150 injured when the … Read more »».

Train Accident Kills 19 Year Old

ELTON, LOUISIANA (GaeaTimes.com)- A teenage boy was killed this weekend in the Jeff Davis Parish near Elton when the truck that he was driving struck against a train, thus crushing him and his vehicle. The police authorities who appeared at the scene of the train accident reported that the 19 year old had died … Read more »»».

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.

Arrested Israeli drug dealer can take private dental care

PANAJI – After he hit the headlines for using social networking site Facebook from behind the bars earlier this week, a local court has now allowed Israeli drug dealer David Driham alias Dudu to take root canal treatment at a private dental clinic.

The prosecution had vehemently opposed Dudu’s plea for private treatment, asking him … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Arrested Israeli drug dealer can take private dental care.

Six pilgrims killed in Maharashtra

SOLAPUR – Six pilgrims were crushed to death in Maharashtra’s Solapur district Wednesday when they were on their way to the famous Pandharpur temple, police here said.

Twelve people were travelling in a large autorickshaw when they met with the accident at Shetfal village, about 30 km from Pandharpur town in Solapur.
“Their autorickshaw got caught … Read : Six pilgrims killed in Maharashtra.

Air hostess steals money from sleeping passengers

LONDON – An air hostess is facing 10 years in prison in France after admitting stealing money, credit cards and jewellery from business class passengers as they slept on long-haul flights.

The 47-year-old Air France employee dubbed the “Mile High Pickpocket” was caught following complaints about missing money, credit cards and designer jewellery.
She would rifle …. Source article  : Air hostess steals money from sleeping passengers.

Church indicts Goa government for shielding drug traders

PANAJI – After the opposition and the local media, the Goa Roman Catholic Church has indicted the Congress-led government for failing to curb the drug trade and for shielding the police-politician-drug mafia nexus.

The state police machinery was entangled with drug peddlers and the Digambar Kamat-led government was “not honest about probing the (police-politician-drug mafia) nexus”, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Church indicts Goa government for shielding drug traders.

Police: 2 killed in attack on Russian hydropower station

Police: 2 killed in Russian power station attack

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia – Two carloads of assailants attacked a hydroelectric station in southern Russia early Wednesday, killing two workers and setting off bombs.
The attack took place in Kabardino-Balkariya, one of the republics in Russia’s restive Caucasus region where clashes with insurgents are frequent.
A spokesman for the republic’s police, … Read more >>>.

Flooding across China kills 701, the worst toll in a decade, and heaviest rains still to come

China flooding kills 701, worst toll in a decade

BEIJING – More than 1,000 people have died or disappeared in severe flooding in China so far this year, and the heaviest rains are still to come, a senior official warned Wednesday.
This year’s floods, which have caused tens of billions of dollars in damage already, have exacted … Original source on Gaea Times at : Flooding across China kills 701, the worst toll in a decade, and heaviest rains still to come.

3 months into Gulf disaster, BP says relief tunnel should reach blown-out well by weekend

Relief tunnel should reach Gulf well by weekend

NEW ORLEANS – Three months into the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the federal government’s spill chief says a relief tunnel should finally reach BP’s broken well by the weekend, meaning the gusher could be snuffed for good within two weeks.
After several days of concern about the … Read more : 3 months into Gulf disaster, BP says relief tunnel should reach blown-out well by weekend.

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Families of people killed in 2009 crash press Congress over safety

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Victims’ families persuasive
WASHINGTON – Congress is on the verge of passing far-reaching airline safety legislation, and a lot of the credit goes to an unlikely band of lobbyists: the families and friends of the 50 people who died in a regional airline crash in western New York more than a … Read : THE INFLUENCE GAME: Families of people killed in 2009 crash press Congress over safety.

Smithsonian’s vast invertebrate collection could determine full impact of Gulf oil spill

Smithsonian holdings may show oil’s impact in Gulf

SUITLAND, Md. – The Smithsonian’s vast collection of 137 million objects can come in handy at a time like this.
Scientists are beginning to determine the full impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and help guide its recovery. But they will need to know about …. Original source  : Smithsonian’s vast invertebrate collection could determine full impact of Gulf oil spill.

Four booked for emigration scam in Punjab

MOHALI – Four Haryana-based travel agents, including two women, have been booked in Punjab for duping 21 youths of over Rs.45 lakh on the pretext of arranging lucrative jobs for them in Afghanistan, police said Wednesday.

The agents had promised the youths that jobs would be arranged in a construction company with a salary of Rs.100,000 … Original source on Gaea Times at : Four booked for emigration scam in Punjab.

Girl drowns in swimming pool in Delhi

NEW DELHI – A 13-year-old girl drowned in the swimming pool of the old campus of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in south Delhi, police said Wednesday.

Amrita Singh, a resident of Vasant Kunj, drowned around 8.45 p.m. Tuesday, a police officer said.
The girl was said to be learning swimming from the last two …. Source  : Girl drowns in swimming pool in Delhi.

Water flowing into dry river bed after rubberized dam collapses on mad-made lake near Phoenix

Rubberized dam breaks at man-made Arizona lake

TEMPE, Ariz. – A man-made lake near Phoenix will likely lose two-thirds to three-fourths of its water after a rubberized dam burst and sent thousands of gallons of water gushing downstream into a dry river bed, authorities said.
The 16-foot-high section of the dam on Tempe Town Lake near Arizona [..] Read the original article: here.

Himachal pleads against bail to Kachru ragging accused

DHARAMSALA – Himachal Pradesh has again moved the court for setting aside the bail granted to four students accused of ragging medical student Aman Kachru, leading to his death last year, an official said here Wednesday.

However, the court has listed the matter for hearing Friday.
“An appeal challenging the decision of fast-track court judge Purinder … Read more »»».

Indian food delivery man accused of raping sleeping woman

SYDNEY – An Indian restaurant delivery driver raped a woman in her sleep in her home in this Australian city as her husband slept in the lounge, a court was told.

Amit Hamal, 21, who claims that he is a member of the Nepalese royal family, faced Sydney’s Waverley Local Court Tuesday. He was charged with …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Man trying to smuggle 18 monkeys arrested in Mexico

Mexico City, July 21 (IANS/EFE) A man carrying 18 monkeys in a belt under his shirt was arrested at the Mexico City airport, authorities said.

The 38-year-old suspect, who arrived on a flight from Lima, Peru, had wrapped the monkeys in coloured mesh, killing two of the animals.
Officers noticed bulges under the man’s clothing and … Read more : Man trying to smuggle 18 monkeys arrested in Mexico.

Earthquake shakes southern Iran, injuring 15

Earthquake shakes southern Iran
TEHRAN, Iran – State TV says a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 has shaken southern Iran, injuring 15 people.

Iranian state TV says the quake on Wednesday shook Ashkenan, a region near Lamerd in southern Iran.
The TV report quotes Tehran University’s Geophysics Institute as saying that seven small quakes with magnitudes [..] Read the original article: here.

United Airlines flight diverts to Denver after hitting turbulence; 30 injured, 1 critically

United flight hits severe turbulence; 30 injured

DENVER – A United Airlines jetliner was diverted to Denver after 30 people onboard were injured, one critically, when the plane hit severe turbulence while flying over Kansas, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The flight originated at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., and was headed to Los Angeles. It … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : United Airlines flight diverts to Denver after hitting turbulence; 30 injured, 1 critically.

38 percent of Mexican women suffer gender violence

Mexico City, July 21 (IANS/EFE) Thirtyeight percent of Mexican women suffer physical, sexual or psychological aggression, and nearly 75 percent of victims don’t report the abuse, according to a report from industrial-safety consultants GMSI.

The company’s study of gender violence found that the problem affects 33 percent of women worldwide, with the proportion reaching 71 percent …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Fire on staging boat for Gulf oil spill in Venice, La.; 2 treated for smoke inhalation

Fire on staging boat for Gulf oil spill in La.

VENICE, La. – Authorities say a fire that started in the electrical system on a boat set up at a staging area for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill resulted in two minor injuries.
Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Maj. John Marie says the fire was extinguished … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Fire on staging boat for Gulf oil spill in Venice, La.; 2 treated for smoke inhalation.

Inventor of the ‘black box’ flight data recorder, David Warren, dies in Australia at age 85

Australian inventor of ‘black box’ recorder dies

SYDNEY – David Warren, an Australian scientist who invented the “black box” flight data recorder, has died, defense officials said Wednesday. He was 85.
Warren, who died Monday, came up with the idea for the cockpit voice recorder after investigating the crash of the world’s first commercial jet airliner, the …. Original source  : Inventor of the ‘black box’ flight data recorder, David Warren, dies in Australia at age 85.

Ships ready to evacuate Gulf cleanup effort as tropical rainstorm brews in Caribbean

Ships ready to leave leaky well as storm brews

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO – Crew members aboard dozens of ships in the Gulf of Mexico prepared Thursday to evacuate as a tropical rainstorm brewing in the Caribbean brought the deep-sea effort to plug BP’s ruptured oil well to a near standstill.
Though the rough weather was … Read more >>.

Australia rape accused ‘faked’ Nepal royal family link

KATHMANDU – A 21-year-old Nepali, who has been arrested in Australia for allegedly raping a 44-year-old woman while delivering food to her residence, faked links to the former royal family of Nepal, according to officials and experts in Nepal.

Amit Hamal, a restaurant delivery boy in Sydney who now faces the charge of raping a woman …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Australia rape accused ‘faked’ Nepal royal family link.

Man jailed for online gambling in China

BEIJING – In the first case of conviction for online gambling, a Chinese man has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined 10,000 yuan for his involvement in betting over soccer World Cup.

Beijing’s Dongcheng District People’s Court passed the sentence on 20-year-old Zhao Yan for helping others to bet on soccer matches, the …. Source  : Man jailed for online gambling in China.

After 2 years on the run, ‘Barefoot Bandit’ to make first federal court appearance in Seattle

‘Barefoot Bandit’ to make Seattle court appearance

SEATTLE – After a two-year run from the law that stretched across the nation and to the Bahamas, the young man accused of being the “Barefoot Bandit” is back in Washington state.
Colton Harris-Moore, 19, is scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon in federal court at his initial appearance before Magistrate … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : After 2 years on the run, ‘Barefoot Bandit’ to make first federal court appearance in Seattle.

Four cops suspended over custodial death

LUCKNOW – Four policemen have been suspended over the death in police custody of a 45-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district, police said Thursday.

Nazar Hussain died Wednesday evening while being interrogated at the Nakhasa police station in Moradabad, some 350 km from Lucknow, in a theft case.
Hussain’s family alleged that he died after …. Original source  : Four cops suspended over custodial death.

IMF says it has canceled $268 million Haiti debt, agrees to $60 million loan

IMF cancels $268M Haiti debt
PARIS – The IMF says it has canceled Haiti’s $268 million debt and will lend the earthquake-devastated island another $60 million to help it with reconstruction plans.

The International Monetary Fund says the decision is part of a plan for long-term reconstruction after the Jan. 12 magnitude-7 quake, which killed as many … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : IMF says it has canceled $268 million Haiti debt, agrees to $60 million loan.

Sohrabuddin case: CBI summons Gujarat minister Amit Shah

NEW DELHI – Gujarat’s Minister of State for Home Amit Shah was Thursday summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a fake shootout in Ahmedabad.

A CBI source said Shah’s arrest was only a “matter of time”.
Shah has been accused of calling up …. Source article  : Sohrabuddin case: CBI summons Gujarat minister Amit Shah.

Mine safety officials say facts don’t support Massey claims on ventilation

Mine officials slam Massey claims on ventilation

WASHINGTON – Mine safety officials are painting a portrait of ineptitude and confusion by officials at Massey Energy Co. in the months before an explosion at the company’s West Virginia mine killed 29 men.
The depiction – in an internal memo from a top official at the Mine Safety and …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Mine safety officials say facts don’t support Massey claims on ventilation.

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Obama’s oil spill commission had web of BP and oil industry interests

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Oil panel’s web of interests
WASHINGTON – Oil runs so deep in American life that when President Barack Obama formed an independent commission to investigate the Gulf spill, he ran into something of an oil patch of his own.
Both commission chairmen had stock in BP as well as broader interests in …. Source  : INSIDE WASHINGTON: Obama’s oil spill commission had web of BP and oil industry interests.

New Zealand busts Asian drug-money laundering gang

WELLINGTON – New Zealand police investigating Asian organised crime raided a money exchange company in Auckland Thursday, claiming it was a multimillion dollar operation to launder illegal drug proceeds.

Two people were arrested and police seized their assets, including a house valued at 2 million New Zealand dollars ($1.4 million) and two vehicles, the firm’s bank … Original source on Gaea Times at : New Zealand busts Asian drug-money laundering gang.

Maoists abduct engineer in Jharkhand

RANCHI – Maoists have abducted an engineer of the Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) from Jharkhand’s Chatra district, police said Thursday.

According to police, eight-10 rebels abducted N.K. Pathak, an engineer posted in Magadh coal project of the CCL, Wednesday night.
He was abducted from his ancestral village Soparam which comes under Tandawa police station of Chatra … Read more : Maoists abduct engineer in Jharkhand.

CBI summons Gujarat home minister in Sohrabuddin case

NEW DELHI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Thursday summoned Amit Shah, Gujarat’s minister of state for home, in connection with the 2005 staged killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, who police claimed was a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative.
…. Read the original article  : here.

NKorea, American-led UN Command to meet again amid tension over warship sinking

NKorea, US-led UN Command to meet amid tension

SEOUL, South Korea – The American-led U.N. Command says it will hold talks with North Korea over the sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on Pyongyang.
The U.N. Command said in a statement Thursday the meeting will take place at the Korean border village of Panmunjom on Friday.
It …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : NKorea, American-led UN Command to meet again amid tension over warship sinking.

School principal held for raping student in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD – The principal of an international school here has been arrested on charges of raping a Class 11 student from Mumbai, police said Thursday. The victim had become pregnant.

A case of rape and criminal intimidation has been booked against Salahuddin Ayub, principal of Parkwood International School at Manneguda near Vikarabad on the outskirts of [..] Read the original article: here.

Cross-dresser has sex with dog at British castle

LONDON – A transvestite was caught having sex with a dog in the dry moat of a 13th century castle in Britain.

The 33-year-old man was caught with the animal in the moat of King Henry VIII’s Pendennis Castle situated near the picturesque Falmouth Bay in Cornwall, The Telegraph reported.
The man mounted the pet …. Source article  : Cross-dresser has sex with dog at British castle.

Typhoon Chanthu lashes southern China with torrential rains, high winds amid flood season

Typhoon lashes south China with heavy rain, winds

BEIJING – Typhoon Chanthu sent debris flying through the air in southern China’s Guangdong province on Thursday, bringing rain that could aggravate the country’s worst floods in a decade.
No casualties have been reported so far from Chanthu, which was upgraded from a tropical storm one day earlier. Authorities … Original source on Gaea Times at : Typhoon Chanthu lashes southern China with torrential rains, high winds amid flood season.

Rangers at Grand Teton rescue 16 climbers after thunderstorm; search for 1 suspended for night

16 climbers safe; search for 1 suspended for night

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – Rescue teams used helicopters to remove 16 injured climbers from an exposed mountain in Grand Teton National Park on Wednesday after a thunderstorm and severe lightning struck the area, a park spokeswoman said. The search for another climber was suspended because [..] Read the original article: here.

China’s vital oil pipeline resumes operations after blast; spill clean up efforts continuing

Pipeline repaired as China works to contain spill
BEIJING – China National Petroleum Corp. said Thursday a vital pipeline has resumed operations after an explosion caused the country’s largest reported oil spill.
Cleanup efforts – marred by the drowning death of a worker, his body coated in crude – continued over 165 square mile … Read more »».

Indian hurt in brawl in Australia unable to eat, talk

MELBOURNE – An Indian student, recuperating in a hospital here with fractures in his jaw after being brutally beaten up by six men, is unable to eat and talk properly, his friend said Thursday.

Bharat Thapar, 24, is in hospital with plates in his jaw and “bruises all over his body” after a brawl in South …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Indian hurt in brawl in Australia unable to eat, talk.

New Zealand PM gets threat letters

AUCKLAND – New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has been threatened with grievous bodily harm in a series of faxed letters, two of which read: “It’s killing time.”

Mark Feary, a 53-year-old farmer from North Canterbury, has been found guilty by the Christchurch district court of threatening to kill the prime minister, and has been fined … Original article on : New Zealand PM gets threat letters.

Ex-army officer hangs himself in Russian jail

MOSCOW – A former Russian army colonel hanged himself in a police station after he was arrested on charges of raping two underage girls.

The unnamed former army officer, now a businessman, contacted the two girls on the internet and allegedly raped them in a car park near Kurskaya metro station here in the Russian capital, … Original article on : Ex-army officer hangs himself in Russian jail.

Over 700 dead in China floods

BEIJING – Floods in China this year have left 742 people dead and 367 missing, an official statement said Friday.

Floods have hit 28 provinces and affected 120 million people and 7.60 million hectares of crops, Xinhua reported, citing a State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters statement.
The floods caused 670,000 homes to collapse …. Original article  : Over 700 dead in China floods.

Teacher held for stripping, dancing before students

BHUBANESWAR – A teacher has been arrested for allegedly stripping and dancing before students in Orissa’s Keonjhar district, police said Friday.

A drunk Ramachandra Nanda Tuesday allegedly removed his clothes and danced before students and staff at the Katrabeda upper primary school at Katrabeda village, about 270 km from here, police inspector J. Pagal told IANS. … Original source on Gaea Times at : Teacher held for stripping, dancing before students.

Indian caught with drugs in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian customs officials arrested a 26-year-old man from India who allegedly tried to smuggle in drugs worth 1.25 million ringgit ($390,625) inside two rice pots, the official news agency Bernama reported Friday.

The man was detained at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, the main airport in the northeastern state of Kelantan.
Kelantan Customs Director …. Source article  : Indian caught with drugs in Malaysia.

One in 10 computers vulnerable to cyber attack

LONDON – A new report says that cyber criminals attack millions of computers every month and infect approximately 10 percent of them.

Cyber criminals are increasingly making use of “toolkits” – developed to methodically infect personal computers – so that illegally obtained information can be bought and sold.
Criminal servers were typically hosted in Ukraine …. Read the original article  : here.

Typhoon Chanthu lashes southern China with torrential rains, high winds, killing 3

Typhoon lashes southern China, killing 3
BEIJING – Typhoon Chanthu killed three people before weakening into a tropical storm Friday after making landfall in southern China’s Guangdong province.

Winds of up to 78 miles per hour (126 kilometers per hour) knocked over a wall in Guangdong’s Wuchuan city, killing two people, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Heavy …. Read the original article  : here.

Work at oil spill site in Gulf of Mexico on hold as Tropical Storm Bonnie approaches

Oil spill work on hold as TS Bonnie approaches

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO – Work to permanently choke off the oil well that had been spewing into the Gulf of Mexico is at a standstill after ships around the site were ordered to evacuate ahead of the approaching Tropical Storm Bonnie.
There had been worries that … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Work at oil spill site in Gulf of Mexico on hold as Tropical Storm Bonnie approaches.

College teacher accused of sexual harassment reinstated

DHARAMSALA – The Himachal Pradesh college where medical student Aman Kachru was allegedly ragged to death is in the midst of another controversy with the reinstatement of a senior teacher accused of sexual harassing a student.

Less than a week after the bail granted to four final-year students of the Rajendra Prasad Medical College at … Original article on : College teacher accused of sexual harassment reinstated.

‘Barefoot Bandit’ remains jailed until trial; attorney says he’s just an immature kid

Attorney: ‘Barefoot Bandit’ just an immature kid

SEATTLE – His attorney says the “Barefoot Bandit,” accused of dozens of thefts from Washington state to the Caribbean, is a likable but immature kid.
The U.S. attorney in Seattle calls Colton Harris-Moore, 19, a menace who, if set free, would pick up his two-year crime spree where he left …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : ‘Barefoot Bandit’ remains jailed until trial; attorney says he’s just an immature kid.

Australian kills prostitute, has sex with body

SYDNEY – A schizophrenic Australian man stabbed a prostitute to death and then had sex with her body, a court heard Friday.

Malcolm Robert Potts, 42, was sentenced to 21 years in prison by the New South Wales Supreme Court for the murder of Emma King in Ashfield town, nine kilometres from Sydney, in September 2008, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Australian kills prostitute, has sex with body.

Senate Democrats focus on Gulf oil spill response after giving up on comprehensive energy bill

Senate Democrats turn focus to Gulf spill response

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats hope to pass a narrow energy bill next week that responds to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and takes steps to improve energy efficiency, after abandoning plans for a sweeping measure that caps greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
Senate Majority Leader …. Original article  : Senate Democrats focus on Gulf oil spill response after giving up on comprehensive energy bill.

Gujarat minister again fails to turn up before CBI

GANDHINAGAR – Gujarat’s Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a fake shootout, Friday again failed to turn up before the agency.

He send his lawyer Mitesh Amin instead who asked for the questionnaire. But the agency refused to give …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Gujarat minister again fails to turn up before CBI.

Briton sues ex-boss for parading him with thief sign

LONDON – A Briton who was marched to a police station with a sign around his neck saying he was a thief has sued his former employer for the “distress” he suffered.

Mark Gilbert, 41, said his former employer Simon Cremer humiliated him by parading him through the streets of Witham, Essex, and is now claiming … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Briton sues ex-boss for parading him with thief sign.

Neighbors: Boy played with fire days before relatives’ throats were slashed, NYC home torched

Boy said to slash throats, set fire to his NY home

NEW YORK – Shaquawna Meaders had spent “a nice night” at her friend’s apartment as the friend’s skinny 14-year-old son made them laugh and his young siblings prepared for a trip to Coney Island.
Then on Thursday, Meaders learned that her friend had died, the young [..] Read the original article: here.

Tropical Storm Bonnie Gains Strength

MIAMI (GaeaTimes.com)- A tropical storm has gathered strength along the Bahamas and is gradually proceeding toward the Gulf of Mexico, weather forecasters have revealed. According to the report released by the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the Tropical Storm Bonnie had maintained a wind capacity of 40 mph and on Thursday night it was …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

College lecturer detained for firing in air

CHANDIGARH – A college lecturer was detained here for firing gun shots in the air and misbehaving with policemen, police said Friday.

Harnek Singh, 40, who works in a government college in Amritsar in Punjab, had come to his parents’ house in Sector 34 on holiday.
“He took his dog out for a walk at around …. Source article  : College lecturer detained for firing in air.

20 die in Bolivia accident

LA PAZ – At least 20 people were killed here in Bolivia when a truck in which they were travelling plunged into a 250-metre-deep ravine, police said.

A nine-year-old girl survived as she dropped out of the falling truck and was miraculously caught in the trees Thursday evening, Xinhua quoted police as saying.
Police said the …. Source  : 20 die in Bolivia accident.

New Zealand man jailed for stealing orange

AUCKLAND – A New Zealand man who trespassed on private property and stole an orange from a tree “because he was hungry” has been jailed.

Michael James Brooks, 24, of Tauranga was jailed for 10 months by the Tauranga District Court after he pleaded guilty to one charge each of burglary, unlawfully being in an …. Original article  : New Zealand man jailed for stealing orange.

Fire at Sanchar Bhawan, none injured

NEW DELHI – A fire broke out Friday at the Sanchar Bhawan, which houses the Department of Telecommunications, on Ashoka Road here, Nobody was injured, the fire department said.

The blaze began on the 13th floor of the building around 4 a.m. Thirteen fire tenders battled the fire and brought it under control, a fire officer …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Powerful storms bring heavy rain, tornadoes to Wis., flooding closes airport, blocks roads

Flooding shuts down airport, closes roads in Wis.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Powerful thunderstorms are causing widespread flooding in southern Wisconsin, closing down Milwaukee’s airport and blocking roads, and two people have been struck by lightning.
Heavy rains pounded the region Thursday, with parts of Milwaukee seeing up to 7.5 inches of rain in just two hours. The … Read more »»».

Drunk Australian teen steals fire engine

SYDNEY – An intoxicated 16-year-old boy broke into a fire station in an Australian town and drove off with a fire engine, police said Saturday.

Police said the teenager broke into the fire station at Lithgow, 143 km from Sydney, and stole a 14-tonne fire truck at about 11.45 p.m. Friday, the Daily Telegraph reported. … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Drunk Australian teen steals fire engine.

Philippines Earthquake Make Headlines

SUMATRA (GaeaTimes.com)- The Moro Gulf of Mindanao Island in Philippines was hit by a total of 6 quakes today morning and this created sensation among the residents. The strong quakes were followed by another strong quake which hit Indonesia’s northern Sumatra region. Later the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the incidents. The final quake had rattled …. Source  : Philippines Earthquake Make Headlines.

Floods in Ferozepur, crops damaged

CHANDIGARH – Several acres of agricultural land were inundated and over 75 villages were submerged in flood water in Punjab’s Ferozepur district Saturday, an official said.

Over 150 houses have been damaged and hundreds of residents have been evacuated to safer places. District administration and the local police had launched a rescue operation on war-footing in … Read more : Floods in Ferozepur, crops damaged.

Crews look for 4 missing after medical flight crashes into Lake Michigan; boaters rescue pilot

Mich. rescuers search for 4 missing in plane crash

LUDINGTON, Mich. – Rescuers searched Lake Michigan for four people aboard a small plane that crashed into choppy waters, including a school superintendent on his way to the Mayo Clinic for cancer treatment, his wife and a doctor. The only known survivor was the pilot.
Jerry Freed, 66, … Read more >>>.

Ships steam to safer waters as leftovers from Tropical Storm Bonnie gun for Gulf of Mexico

Ships steam to safer waters as storm guns for Gulf

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO – Ships steamed to safer waters and coastal workers packed up oil removal operations as remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie gunned for the Gulf of Mexico Saturday.
By daybreak, all but a handful of the ships working at the well site were …. Source article  : Ships steam to safer waters as leftovers from Tropical Storm Bonnie gun for Gulf of Mexico.

26 held for illegal diamond mining

RAIPUR – Twenty-six people, including six women, were arrested in a police raid at a diamond deposit site in Chhattisgarh, police said Saturday.

A police team raided the 18-hectare diamond deposit site late Friday and arrested 20 men and six women for illegally mining diamond in Pailikhand village, around 150 km from here, in Raipur district. … Read more >>>.

Abducted Jharkhand engineer rescued

RANCHI – Three days after he was abducted by suspected Maoists, an engineer of the Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) was rescued from a jungle in Jharkhand’s Palamau district, police said Saturday.

According to the police, N.K. Pathak, an engineer posted in Magadh coal project of CCL, was rescued late Friday from a jungle in Palamau district, …. Read the original article  : here.

MiG 27 crashes in West Bengal, civilian killed (Lead, superseding earlier story)

SILIGURI – A MiG 27 fighter aircraft crashed in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district Saturday morning, killing a civilian and injuring eight others, a police official said. The pilot ejected safely.

The accident occured at around 11 a.m. when the aircraft, which had started off from the Hashimara airbase at 10.30 a.m, came crashing down in Jorepukhri … Read this article on Gaea Times at : MiG 27 crashes in West Bengal, civilian killed (Lead, superseding earlier story).

Bus veers off mountain road and plunges down gorge killing 17 in Indian Kashmir

17 killed after bus plunges into gorge in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India – A minibus veered off a mountain road under construction and plunged into a river in Indian Kashmir, killing at least 17 people, a police officer said Saturday.
Rescue workers were searching the fast-flowing waters of the Chenab River for any survivors, said Hemant Lohia.
The accident …. Source  : Bus veers off mountain road and plunges down gorge killing 17 in Indian Kashmir.

12 students injured as school bus overturns

LUCKNOW – At least 12 students were injured, three critically, when their school bus overturned in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district Saturday, police said.

The speeding bus, carrying 30-35 students of the DPM College, overturned after the driver applied the brakes suddenly to avoid collision with another vehicle in Pehsuma area, about 400 km from here.
“Those …. Original article  : 12 students injured as school bus overturns.

Pakistani man arrested before wedding in Britain

LONDON – It didn’t turn out to be a dream wedding for a 32-year-old Pakistani man and his Czech bride as they were arrested moments ahead of what police called a “sham wedding”.

Abdul Majid from Pakistan and his bride, Andrea Kalejova, 22, were arrested by immigration officials from a registrar’s office in Manchester just before … Read more : Pakistani man arrested before wedding in Britain.

MiG 27 crashes in West Bengal, two pilots dead

KOLKATA – A MiG 27 fighter aircraft crashed in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district Saturday morning, killing the two pilots onboard, a defence official said.

The aircraft crashed in Moinaguri village in Jalpaiguri. Twelve villagers, including four children, were injured in the accident, Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani, the defence spokesperson (eastern headquarters), told IANS here.
… Original article on : MiG 27 crashes in West Bengal, two pilots dead.

4 US service members die in bombing in Afghanistan; 69 international troops killed in July

4 US troops die in bomb blast in south Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – Four American service members were killed Saturday in a bombing in southern Afghanistan, where international forces are stepping up the fight against the Taliban, officials said.
A NATO announcement did not give the nationalities of the victims of Saturday’s blast, nor specify where in [..] Read the original article: here.

Two TDP leaders hacked to death

HYDERABAD – Two leaders of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), who were brothers, were hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district in a case of fational killings, police said Saturday.

Vishwanath Reddy and Maheshwar Reddy, both brothers and local leaders of the TDP, were murdered late Friday in Nakkaladinne in Kadapa. …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Bail hearing of Kachru accused adjourned till Monday

SHIMLA – The Himachal Pradesh High Court has adjourned till Monday the bail hearing of the four medical students accused of ragging first year student Aman Kachru last year leading to his death.

Justice D.D Sud gave both the parties an opportunity to discuss the case regarding the bail granted to the accused.
The four …. Source  : Bail hearing of Kachru accused adjourned till Monday.

Prosecutors say at least 38 dead found at suspected drug-gang dumping ground in north Mexico

38 bodies found at northern Mexico dumping ground

MEXICO CITY – Authorities found the remains of at least 38 people in a series of pits and scattered on the ground at a suspected drug-gang dumping site near the industrial hub of Monterrey in northern Mexico, an official said Friday.
Investigators were using heavy equipment to search for … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Prosecutors say at least 38 dead found at suspected drug-gang dumping ground in north Mexico.

Rome diocese asks gay priests to come out

Rome, July 24 (IANS/AKI) The Catholic diocese of Rome has asked homosexual priests to “come out” because their behaviour “slings mud on others”.

The Vicar of Rome – the office that governs the Rome diocese in the name of the Pope – Friday urged homosexual priests to renounce priesthood.
It was responding to an article in …. Read the original article  : Rome diocese asks gay priests to come out.

Amit Shah is innocent, says Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI – Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah is “completely innocent” and all allegations against him have been “fabricated”, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said here Saturday while accepting his resignation.

“Amit Shah is completely innocent. The allegations have been fabricated,” Modi said after arriving in the capital in the morning.
“Amit Shah has … Read more >>.

3 earthquakes hit southern Philippines, but too deep to cause any damage or tsunami

Earthquakes hit southern Philippines; no damage

MANILA, Philippines – Three major undersea earthquakes struck the southern Philippines within minutes of each other early Saturday, but the temblors were too deep to cause any damage.
A magnitude 6.8 tremor shook the Moro Gulf off the island of Mindanao at 6:08 a.m. (2208 GMT Friday). It was centered about …. Source article  : 3 earthquakes hit southern Philippines, but too deep to cause any damage or tsunami.

Coast Guard releases radio transmissions from fatal duck boat crash in Philadelphia

Coast Guard releases audio from Philly duck crash

PHILADELPHIA – An unidentified man can be heard yelling for a boat to watch out on recordings of radio communications from a fatal duck boat crash in Philadelphia.
The audio released Friday was taken from the emergency channel recorded by the Coast Guard on July 7 when a duck … Read more »»».

Disgraced Shah re-appears, arrested, jailed (Roundup)

GANDHINAGAR/AHMEDABAD – On the run for three days, Gujarat’s disgraced former minister Amit Shah was sent to 14-day judicial custody Sunday over an alleged Islamist’s murder, hours after he made a dramatic appearance before the media and surrendered to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The drama lasted just about five hours from the time Shah … Read more : Disgraced Shah re-appears, arrested, jailed (Roundup).

14 days judicial custody for Amit Shah

GANDHINAGAR – Former Gujarat minister Amit Shah, who was arrested here after being charged with the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a staged shootout, was Sunday sent to 14 days judicial custody.

“Amit Shah has been sent to a 14 day judicial custody,” an official source said.
He was produced at the residence of CBI …. Read the original article  : 14 days judicial custody for Amit Shah.

More arrests likely in Punjab honour killing

HOSHIARPUR – More arrests are likely to take place in the honour killing of a young woman by her father in Punjab while a man who killed his sister for “going around with a couple of boys” was arrested nearly a month after the crime, officials said Sunday.

Sher Singh of Dasuya town in Hoshiarpur was … Read more : More arrests likely in Punjab honour killing.

Germany’s Love Parade festival will never be held again after 19 killed, 342 injured in crush

Germany’s Love Parade festival canceled for good

DUISBURG, Germany – The organizer of the Love Parade says the yearly techno music festival will never be held again after 19 people were killed and 342 were injured in a panicked crush in an entrance tunnel.
Authorities faced tough questions at a press conference over why hundreds of thousands … Read more : Germany’s Love Parade festival will never be held again after 19 killed, 342 injured in crush.

Police search for causes of German festival stampede

DUISBURG – Police in the city of Duisburg Sunday began searching for the exact causes of a mass panic in a tunnel at the Love Parade music event, in which 19 people died.

Officials said the number of injured now stood at 342, some of whom were in a serious condition.
Panic broke out around 5 …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Mumbai Crime Branch to enquire into attack on Abu Salem

MUMBAI – The Crime Branch of the Mumbai police will investigate the attack on mafia don Abu Salem, allegedly by an aide of rival gangster Dawood Ibrahim, inside the Arthur Road Jail, a senior officer said here Sunday.

“We are in the process of taking over the investigation into the attack on Salem,,” Deputy Commissioner of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Mumbai Crime Branch to enquire into attack on Abu Salem.

Ugandan president calls on Africa to unite to fight terror, weeks after twin bombings kill 76

Uganda president calls for Africa to fight terror

KAMPALA, Uganda – Uganda’s president is calling on Africa to band together to fight terrorism on the continent, just weeks after twin bomb attacks killed 76 people in Kampala.
President Yoweri Museveni told a gathering of African leaders on Sunday that his government has arrested suspected organizers of the …. Read the original article  : Ugandan president calls on Africa to unite to fight terror, weeks after twin bombings kill 76.

Death toll from Germany’s Love Parade music festival stampede rises to 19, with 342 injured

Death toll from German music festival rises to 19

DUISBURG, Germany – The death toll rose to 19 on Sunday and police said that 342 had been injured in a panicked crush of partygoers in an overcrowded tunnel that served as the sole entrance to a German festival billed as the world’s largest techno music party.
The … Read : Death toll from Germany’s Love Parade music festival stampede rises to 19, with 342 injured.

Stolen hi-tech phone helps police track thief

LONDON – A thief who stole an Apple iPhone from its owner’s hands was arrested by police in the US, minutes after being tracked by global positioning system (GPS) software.

Horatio Toure, 31, snatched the highly-sought after phone from the hands of a software company employee who was testing a new application in San Francisco …. Source  : Stolen hi-tech phone helps police track thief.

Delinquent kids don’t always take to crime

LONDON – Children who fall foul of the law early in life don’t necessarily take to a life of crime later on.

This is one of the findings of the Marburg child delinquency study, reports the journal Deutsches ??rzteblatt International.
Helmut Remschmidt and Reinhard Walter of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Delinquent kids don’t always take to crime.

Man kills father, aunt in Haryana village

ROHTAK – A 25-year-old man allegedly shot dead his father and aunt over an old dispute in this Haryana district Sunday, police said.

According to police, the deceased were identified as Rajinder Singh, 50, and Shakuntala, 35.
The incident took place around 11 a.m. at Ismaila village, police said.
“Rajinder’s son Jasbir Singh alias Jassa, … Read more : Man kills father, aunt in Haryana village.

Man killed in Delhi

NEW DELHI – A man was stabbed to death Sunday following a quarrel with a group of people in the Paharganj area of central Delhi, police said.

Golu, owner of a videogame shop, was attacked by some people who entered his house in Paharganj around 11 p.m.
“The assailants also attacked other members of the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Man killed in Delhi.

Two fake degree rackets busted in Punjab

CHANDIGARH – Punjab Police Sunday said they had busted two fake degree rackets and arrested seven people.

In the first incident, two people were arrested late Saturday for providing fake degrees of Jalandhar’s Punjab Technical University (PTU) from Rajpura town of Patiala district, around 45 km from Chandigarh.
“The accused, identified as Manpreet Singh and … Original article on : Two fake degree rackets busted in Punjab.

Police: 5 dead after rescue helicopter crashes into mountain in Japan

Police: 5 dead in Japan helicopter crash
TOKYO – Police say five people are dead after a rescue helicopter crashed into a mountain in central Japan.

Police spokesman Takeshi Iijima said the helicopter was on its way to rescue a fallen climber Sunday in Saitama, around 47 miles (75 kilometers) northwest of Tokyo.
The helicopter initially carried seven …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Police: 5 dead after rescue helicopter crashes into mountain in Japan.

Amit Shah taken into custody, says allegations fabricated

GANDHINAGAR/AHMEDABAD – Former Gujarat minister Amit Shah, charged with involvement in the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a staged shootout, was taken into custody by the CBI in Gandhinagar Sunday.

Shah, who was missing since Thursday, earlier surfaced dramatically at a press conference of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Ahmedabad in the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Ships getting back in place at oil well, ready to work again after Bonnie’s remnants breeze by

Ships head back to oil well, ready to resume work

NEW ORLEANS – Ships were getting back in place Sunday at the Gulf of Mexico site of BP’s leaky oil well as crews raced to resume work on plugging the gusher before another big storm stops work again.
Now that Tropical Storm Bonnie has fizzled on Louisiana’s … Original article on : Ships getting back in place at oil well, ready to work again after Bonnie’s remnants breeze by.

MiG 27 crash toll rises to three

SILIGURI – The number of casualties in the MiG 27 fighter plane crash in West Bengal rose to three Sunday after two children hit by splinters of the aircraft died at a hospital here, police said.

Latika Roy and Purnima Roy died at the North Bengal Medical College Saturday midnight.
Three people, two of them admitted … Read this article on Gaea Times at : MiG 27 crash toll rises to three.

FIR against three former officials in graft case

RANCHI – A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against three ex chairmen of the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) for accepting bribes to award a rural electrification contract to a Lucknow based company.

The FIR was lodged by JSEB Secretary S.K. Sinha Saturday against V.N. Pandey, S.M. Verma and H.B. Lal who were chairmen …. Original source  : FIR against three former officials in graft case.

Bride’s throat slit after calling off wedding

LONDON – A Scottish woman is fighting for her life after her throat was slit just a few hours after she called off her marriage. It is not clear whether her fiance was behind the murderous attack.

Lisa Whyte, 32, was due to marry Steven McKee Friday. She shared a house with McKee, but moved out … Read : Bride’s throat slit after calling off wedding.

Lake Delhi Iowa Dam Collapses

IOWA (GaeaTimes.com)-The residents of Eastern Iowa saw the collapse of the Lake Delhi dam on Saturday which made them worried for some time. The 83 year old dam failed to cope up with the rising pressure of water of the raging Maquoketa River. The region has been witnessing severe rainfall for the last few …. Read the original article  : Lake Delhi Iowa Dam Collapses.

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.

Lufthansa cargo plane crashes in Saudi Arabia, no word on casualties

Lufthansa cargo plane crashes in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A Lufthansa official says one of the airline’s cargo planes has crashed in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh but there was no immediate word on casualties.
A Saudi airport official says the plane caught fire during the crash Tuesday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because … Read more : Lufthansa cargo plane crashes in Saudi Arabia, no word on casualties.

Now, report ragging in Himachal through SMS

SHIMLA – In a move to check ragging-related incidents in educational institutions, the Himachal Pradesh police have extended an SMS facility whereby one can seek police assistance by sending a message.

As part of the facility, a fresher in any school or college can seek help by sending a message on a designated 10-digit number – … Read more : Now, report ragging in Himachal through SMS.

Bihar leader surrenders after mercilessly beating youth

PATNA – After absconding for more than 24 hours, Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Shambhu Saran Rai surrendered to the police Tuesday, a day after he severely thrashed a youth for allegedly attempting to rape a minor girl in Vaishali district.

Rai was produced before the chief judicial magistrate of Vaishali court in the afternoon. [..] Read the original article: here.

Wreckage of Israeli helicopter found in Romania, 7 crew aboard assumed to be dead

7 crew reported dead in Israeli copter crash

BUCHAREST, Romania – The wreckage of an Israeli military helicopter that slammed into a mountain in central Romania has been found and none of the seven soldiers aboard – one Romanian and six Israelis – appear to have survived, officials said Tuesday.
Mircea Opris, Romania’s chief mountain rescue official, … Read more >>.

Three of Dalit family killed in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – Three members of a Dalit family were killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Jyotiba Phule Nagar Tuesday, police said.

Mukhram, 55, his wife Gyanwati, 50, and their son Rahul, 22, were found murdered inside their house in Dhanaura area, about 300 km from here.
“Prima facie it appears the three died of injuries inflicted by a … Read more >>>.

Medical student arrested for mowing down four in Delhi

NEW DELHI – A 25-year-old medical student who allegedly mowed down four workers under his Honda City car in south Delhi early Monday was arrested from Delhi airport while trying to flee the country, police said Tuesday.

Shahid Khan, who is pursuing MBBS from Ukraine, was arrested from the Indira Gandhi International Airport while he …. Read the original article  : Medical student arrested for mowing down four in Delhi.

Man rams car into bar angered by vuvuzela noise

ROME – A man in Italy was so infuriated by the continuous buzzing sound of vuvuzelas at a bar that he fired a rifle and repeatedly rammed his car into the pub.

Exasperated by noise coming from the bar in Vicenza, 413 km from Rome, the man first fired into the air with his rifle. …. Original source  : Man rams car into bar angered by vuvuzela noise.

Officials: wreckage of Israeli helicopter found in Romania, search for 7 soldiers continues

Wreckage of Israeli helicopter found in Romania

BUCHAREST, Romania – The wreckage of an Israeli military helicopter that crashed into a mountain in central Romania has been found, and none of the seven soldiers aboard – one Romania and six Israeli – appear to have survived the crash, officials said Tuesday.
Mircea Opris, Romania’s chief mountain rescue [..] Read the original article: here.

Legal mess from Gulf oil spill likely one of costliest and longest-lasting in US history

Oil spill legal mess likely one of costliest ever
MIAMI – BP PLC and the other companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are faced with fast-multiplying lawsuits that will provoke one of the most drawn-out and costliest legal battles in U.S. history, one that could easily consume the $20 billion set …. Source article  : Legal mess from Gulf oil spill likely one of costliest and longest-lasting in US history.

Man poisons mother’s coffee

WASHINGTON – A 43-year-old man tried to poison his mother with coffee laced with a kitchen cleanser.

Jessie Vasquez walked into a fire station in Dallas and told one of the firefighters: “I just put poison in my mother’s coffee”, Fox News reported.
While one of the firefighters called police, paramedics rushed to the house of … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Man poisons mother’s coffee.

Bihar leader at large after mercilessly beating youth

PATNA – Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Shambhu Saran Rai was absconding Tuesday, a day after he thrashed a youth for allegedly attempting to rape a minor girl in Vaishali district.

Rajesh Mahto, in his early 20s, was hoisted on bamboo sticks Sunday and beaten up by Rai, the secretary of the JD-U district unit, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Bihar leader at large after mercilessly beating youth.

Foodgrain worth millions lost to official apathy

BANI – Everyone in this village in Haryana’s Sirsa district saw flood water entering the area earlier this month but that did not move officials. Not till nearly 200,000 bags of wheat worth millions of rupees were lost to the floods.

The state government’s warehouse at Bani, nearly 300 km from capital Chandigarh, presents a picture …. Read the original article  : Foodgrain worth millions lost to official apathy.

BP CEO Hayward to be replaced in October by Robert Dudley as company makes record loss

BP to replace CEO Hayward with Robert Dudley
LONDON – BP’s embattled Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward will be replaced by American Robert Dudley on Oct. 1, the company said Tuesday, as it reported a record quarterly loss and set aside $32.2 billion to cover the costs of the devastating Gulf of …. Source  : BP CEO Hayward to be replaced in October by Robert Dudley as company makes record loss.

Tornado sweeps through Montana’s rural northeast corner, killing 2 and injuring 1

Tornado touches down in NE corner of Mont, kills 2

HELENA, Mont. – A rare tornado tore through a farmhouse and killed two people inside, leaving nothing but the house’s foundation and a few twisted vehicles as it swept through Montana’s remote and sparsely populated northeastern corner.
A teenage boy and a man in his 40s were … Read more »».

Father of misidentified woman says problem stemmed from miscommunication at Ariz. hospital

Dad cites hospital miscommunication for ID mix-up

PHOENIX – The father of one of two women misidentified after a deadly Arizona traffic crash says the problem stemmed from a communication mistake at a Phoenix hospital.
Frank Cantu said Monday the hospital correctly identified the woman in critical condition following the July 18 crash – but then notified …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Father of misidentified woman says problem stemmed from miscommunication at Ariz. hospital.

Dudley’s path followed unusual turns from Mississippi childhood to become CEO of BP

Dudley’s path followed unusual turns to CEO of BP

Bob Dudley’s sudden rise to the top at BP PLC shows how the Gulf oil spill has dramatically changed the fortunes of people from local fishermen to corporate executives.
Seen as an unlikely candidate just a few months ago, Dudley is set to become the first American to … Original source on Gaea Times at : Dudley’s path followed unusual turns from Mississippi childhood to become CEO of BP.

Israel sends plane to help search for Israeli helicopter that crashed in Romania with 7 aboard

Israelis to help search for downed helicopter

BUCHAREST, Romania – The Israeli air force is sending a transport plane to Romania to help search for an Israeli military helicopter that crashed here with one Romanian soldier and six Israeli ones aboard.
A mountain rescue official said??four bodies??were found Monday, several hours after the helicopter crashed in a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Israel sends plane to help search for Israeli helicopter that crashed in Romania with 7 aboard.

Kid dies after hiding in tumble dryer

LONDON – A four-year-old child in Britain who loved playing hide and seek died after he hid inside a tumble dryer.

Sonny Gibson was locked inside the machine for up to an hour Monday while his family searched for him in the nearby area.
His mother – Anne Shepherd – had gone shopping and returned to …. Read the original article  : here.

Father, son held for duping bank of Rs.54.70 mn

CHANDIGARH – A Chandigarh-based industrialist and his son have been arrested for duping the IDBI Bank of Rs.5.47 crore, police here said Tuesday.

The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Chandigarh Police arrested Rakesh Goel and his son Akash Goel, both owners of the Goel Steel Trading Company, late Monday.
Rakesh’s wife Neena Goel, who was … Original article on : Father, son held for duping bank of Rs.54.70 mn.

Australian couple found guilty of child cruelty

MELBOURNE – An Australian couple who left their three children in soiled nappies and raised them in a filthy house have been found guilty of child cruelty.

The man, 25, and the woman, 23, both unnamed, avoided a conviction with the court which gave them an 18-month probation Tuesday, the Age reported.
The Brisbane district court …. Source  : Australian couple found guilty of child cruelty.

Jack Roush’s Plane Crashes at Oshkosh

WISCONSIN (GaeaTimes.com) — The co-owner of Roush racing, Jack Roush was taken a to hospital on Tuesday night following a plane crash at Whittman Air Field in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.At around 6.15 p.m. local time, Roush crashed his Hawker Beechcraft premier jet while landing. He was in the town for the annual Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual …. Read the original article  : here.

6 people killed, hundreds injured in powerful explosion at plastics factory in eastern China

Chinese factory blast kills 6, injures hundreds

BEIJING – A powerful blast likely caused by a gas leak rocked a plastics factory in eastern China on Wednesday, killing at least six people and injuring hundreds more, state media reported.
The explosion happened about 10 a.m. in downtown Nanjing, the capital of’ Jiangsu province in eastern China, the …. Source article  : 6 people killed, hundreds injured in powerful explosion at plastics factory in eastern China.

China floods test massive 3 Gorges Dam, as torrential rains smother the country

China floods test massive 3 Gorges Dam
BEIJING – Record-high water levels put the capacity of China’s massive Three Gorges Dam to the test Wednesday after heavy rains raged on across the country, compounding flooding problems that have left more than 1,200 people dead or missing.

Rescuers, meanwhile, searched for 21 missing people after a massive rain-triggered … Original source on Gaea Times at : China floods test massive 3 Gorges Dam, as torrential rains smother the country.

Villagers lynch man on suspicion of being Maoist

RANCHI – One man was beaten to death and two people were injured on suspicion of being Maoists by villagers of Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district, police said Wednesday.

“The residents of Gumadi were guarding their village late Tuesday when they saw three people coming. They suspected them to be Maoists and chased them. The three men … Read more >>>.

Sandstorm downs Iraqi helicopter, killing 5; Baghdad bombing kills 6, officials say

11 killed in Iraq helicopter crash, bombing

BAGHDAD – A sandstorm downed an Iraqi military helicopter Wednesday, killing its five-man crew, while a midmorning Baghdad bombing claimed the lives of six people, officials said.
Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari said the helicopter was flying to provide air protection to Shiite pilgrims traveling by road to … Original article on : Sandstorm downs Iraqi helicopter, killing 5; Baghdad bombing kills 6, officials say.

Five survive Islamabad plane crash

ISLAMABAD – Five people survived the passenger plane crash in Margalla Hills close to this Pakistani capital city Wednesday morning, a minister said. Some media reports, however, said that 40-45 people may have survived the air disaster.

The Airblue flight 202, flying from Karachi to Islamabad, suddenly lost contact with the airport here and crashed near …. Read the original article  : Five survive Islamabad plane crash.

At least 25 bodies recovered from plane crash in Pakistani capital, says official

Pakistan: 25 bodies recovered from plane crash

ISLAMABAD – A government official says at least 25 bodies have been recovered from the site of the plane crash in the hills surrounding Pakistan’s capital.
Ramzan Sajid, the spokesman for the Capital Development Authority, has told The Associated Press that rescuers continue to search the wreckage for additional dead …. Original source  : At least 25 bodies recovered from plane crash in Pakistani capital, says official.

At least 100 feared dead in plane crash near Islamabad (Third Lead)

ISLAMABAD – At least 100 people are feared dead when an aircraft of a private airline carrying 159 people crashed amid heavy rain in the wooded Margalla Hills skirting the Pakistani capital Wednesday morning, civil aviation officials and police said.

The Airblue flight 202, flying from Karachi to Islamabad, suddenly lost contact with the airport …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : At least 100 feared dead in plane crash near Islamabad (Third Lead).

Iraqi officials say a bomb explosion in a Shiite slum in eastern Baghdad kills 6, injures 15

Iraq: 6 killed in Baghdad bomb blast
BAGHDAD – Iraqi police and health officials say a bomb explosion has killed six civilians and injured 15 others in a Shiite slum in eastern Baghdad.

The officials say the bomb was planted near a state-run bank in Sadr City where retirees were waiting to get their pensions. It went … Read more : Iraqi officials say a bomb explosion in a Shiite slum in eastern Baghdad kills 6, injures 15.

Court cancels bail for Aman Kachru ragging accused

SHIMLA – The Himachal Pradesh High Court Wednesday cancelled bail given by a trial court to four medical college students accused of ragging to death first year student Aman Kachru last year.

It also directed the accused to surrender in the fast track court at Dharamsala in Kangra district Thursday by 10 a.m.
The order was …. Read the original article  : here.

CBI quizzes Amit Shah in Ahmedabad jail

AHMEDABAD – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday began questioning former Gujarat minister Amit Shah here in connection with the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a staged shootout.

“The CBI has begun questioning Amit Shah,” an official said. The questioning was done at the Sabarmati Jail.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s close aide Shah … Read : CBI quizzes Amit Shah in Ahmedabad jail.

Wildfires burn dozens of homes, force evacuations in California’s Kern County

Wildfires burn dozens of homes, force evacuations

TEHACHAPI, Calif. – Two wildfires that erupted and spread quickly in Southern California have destroyed dozens of homes and forced evacuations in remote areas of the state’s Kern County.
The most destructive of the fires was burning about 10 miles southeast of Tehachapi, a city located in a mountainous area … Read more >>.

Punjab Police arrest two in fake currency scam

SANGRUR – An inter-state fake currency racket has been busted with the arrest of two people from Punjab’s Sangrur town, police said Wednesday.

According to the police, fake currency with a face value of Rs.15 lakh was recovered late Tuesday from the accused, identified as Jasvir Singh alias “Jassi” and Akshay Gupta.
“The notes are in …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Punjab Police arrest two in fake currency scam.

Plane with 152 passengers crashes near Islamabad (Second Lead)

ISLAMABAD – An aircraft carrying 152 people crashed amid heavy rain in the thickly wooded Margalla Hills bordering the Pakistani capital Wednesday morning. Four bodies have been recovered from the crash site, an official said.

The plane, flying from Karachi to Islamabad, suddenly lost contact with the airport here and crashed near the popular Damanekoh resort …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Plane with 152 passengers crashes near Islamabad (Second Lead).

State media says at least 6 people killed in explosion at plastics factory in eastern China

Chinese factory blast kills 6
BEIJING – A powerful blast likely caused by a gas leak rocked a plastics factory in eastern China on Wednesday, killing at least six people and injuring hundreds, state media reported.

The explosion happened about 10 a.m. in downtown Nanjing, the capital of’ Jiangsu province in eastern China, the official Xinhua News …. Original source  : State media says at least 6 people killed in explosion at plastics factory in eastern China.

Eight human heads dumped in Mexican city

Mexico City, July 28 (IANS/EFE) Eight severed human heads were found in the Mexican city of Durango, authorities said.

Police were directed to some of the heads by a series of anonymous telephone calls that began shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday, the Durango state attorney general’s (AG) office said.
The eight heads were scattered among various …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Official says forestry guards report at least 5 killed in plane crash in Pakistan, 152 onboard

Plane carrying 152 crashes in Pakistan; 5 dead

ISLAMABAD – An official says forestry guards are reporting at least five people have been killed in a plane crash in Pakistan. That toll is likely to rise significantly.
The Airblue passenger jet that crashed into the Margalla Hills surrounding Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, was carrying 152 people. Rescuers were … Read more : Official says forestry guards report at least 5 killed in plane crash in Pakistan, 152 onboard.

Woman charged with sending daughter to work in brothel

SYDNEY – A woman has been charged with sending her 16-year-old daughter to work as a prostitute at a brothel in this Australian city. The school-going teenager ended up providing services to over 18 clients in 13 hours.

The teenager was taken by her mother to Liaisons Executive Retreat, a brothel in the eastern inner-city suburb … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Woman charged with sending daughter to work in brothel.

Plane with 150 on board crashes near Islamabad

ISLAMABAD – An aircraft carrying 150 passengers crashed in the Margalla Hills near this Pakistani capital amid heavy rain Wednesday morning.

The private airlines that was flying from Turkey to Islamabad via Karachi, the south port city of Pakistan, suddenly lost contact with the control tower of Islamabad airport, TV channel ARY News reported. … Original source on Gaea Times at : Plane with 150 on board crashes near Islamabad.

State media says unknown number of people killed in explosion at factory in eastern China

Powerful blast rocks plastics factory in China

BEIJING – A powerful blast rocked a plastics factory in eastern China on Wednesday, killing an unknown number of people and injuring hundreds, state media reported.
The explosion, suspected to be caused by a gas leak, happened about 10 a.m. in downtown Nanjing, the capital of’ Jiangsu province in eastern … Read more : State media says unknown number of people killed in explosion at factory in eastern China.

University employee, wife murdered in Kanpur campus

LUCKNOW – The bodies of an agricultural university employee and his wife were found Thursday in the campus in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district, police said.

The bodies of Durga Prasad, 55, and his wife Sharda, 50, were found Thursday outside the employees’ quarters situated in the premises of the Chandra Shekhar Azad Agriculture University.
“Prima facie, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : University employee, wife murdered in Kanpur campus.

‘Probe Goa home minister’s son in Scarlett case’

PANAJI – Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik’s son Roy should be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling, her mother Fiona Mackeown said here Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Mackeown, who is in Goa to depose before a trial court in connection with her daughter’s culpable … Read more »»».

US judicial panel asked to consolidate more than 300 oil spill lawsuits before single court

US panel asked to consolidate oil spill lawsuits

BOISE, Idaho – More than 2,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a federal judicial panel in Idaho is being asked to consolidate more than 300 spill-related lawsuits against BP and other companies before a single court.
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation holds a hearing …. Source  : US judicial panel asked to consolidate more than 300 oil spill lawsuits before single court.

Pakistan plane crash: 58 bodies identified, DNA tests on others

ISLAMABAD – Only 58 bodies of the 152 killed when an Airbus A-321 crashed in the Margalla Hills near this Pakistani capital have been identified, officials said Thursday, adding that DNA tests would be carried out on the others.

The bodies that could be identified have been handed over to family members, Geo News reported …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Pakistan plane crash: 58 bodies identified, DNA tests on others.

Heavy rains trigger floods, killing 28 in northwest Pakistan; dozens still missing

Rivers burst, floods kill at least 28 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Rivers burst their banks during monsoon rains in Pakistan this week, washing away streets, battering a dam and killing at least 28 people in the northwest, officials said Thursday.
In the Peshawar area, two elderly men clung to a fence post and each other as … Original source on Gaea Times at : Heavy rains trigger floods, killing 28 in northwest Pakistan; dozens still missing.

Cooler temperatures, calmer winds help firefighters gain ground on California fires

Mother Nature helping firefighters battle Cal fire

TEHACHAPI, Calif. – Cooler temperatures and calmer winds helped firefighters in their battle against the most destructive of two big wildfires that have burned homes and forced hundreds of people to evacuate mountain communities on the edge of the Mojave Desert and in the southern Sierra Nevada.
A 1,436-acre blaze … Original source on Gaea Times at : Cooler temperatures, calmer winds help firefighters gain ground on California fires.

No request from Kerala to ban PFI: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI – The central government has not received any request from Kerala on banning radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), Home Minister P. Chidambaram said here Thursday.

“I’ve not got anything,” Chidambaram told IANS outside parliament, when asked whether the state government had requested the central government to ban the PFI.
Suspected activists …. Source article  : No request from Kerala to ban PFI: Chidambaram.

EPA says 1 million gallons of oil may have spilled in Mich. river, governor criticizes cleanup

EPA: 1M gallons of oil may be in Mich. river
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Federal officials now estimate that more than 1 million gallons of oil may have spilled into a major river in southern Michigan, and the governor is sharply criticizing clean-up efforts as “wholly inadequate.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the update … Original source on Gaea Times at : EPA says 1 million gallons of oil may have spilled in Mich. river, governor criticizes cleanup.

Gulf spill lacks transformational punch of 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill

Gulf spill lacks societal punch of Santa Barbara
WASHINGTON – In 1969, Sen. Gaylord Nelson was so moved after seeing the devastation of an oil spill off the California coast near Santa Barbara that he called for a national teach-in on the environment. The resulting “Earth Day” the following year kick-started the modern environmental … Read more : Gulf spill lacks transformational punch of 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill.

Coast Guard may start redeploying cleanup resources once Gulf well is killed permanently

Gulf cleanup will change once oil stops for good

NEW ORLEANS – The government’s point man for the Gulf spill plans to meet with coastal parish officials Thursday to talk about what’s next now that the oil has stopped flowing.
Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said crews are having trouble finding patches of the crude that …. Source article  : Coast Guard may start redeploying cleanup resources once Gulf well is killed permanently.

Tour boat catches fire and sinks in Mediterranean, leaving 3 injured and 1 missing

Tour boat sinks off Turkey, Spaniard missing

ANKARA, Turkey – A Spanish tourist is missing at sea after a Turkish tour boat caught fire and sank in the Mediterranean.
Turkish officials say 18 tourists and five crew jumped into the water after flames engulfed the Kayhan-9 on its way from the Turkish resort of Marmaris to Fethiye …. Source  : Tour boat catches fire and sinks in Mediterranean, leaving 3 injured and 1 missing.

Al-Qaida-linked group claims responsibility for bombing of Al-Arabiya TV in Baghdad

Al-Qaida-linked group claims TV bombing in Baghdad

BAGHDAD – An al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility Thursday for a bombing earlier this week targeting the Baghdad offices of a pan-Arab television station, describing the deadly attack that killed six people as a victory against a “corrupt channel.”
A statement posted on the website of the Islamic State of Iraq … Read : Al-Qaida-linked group claims responsibility for bombing of Al-Arabiya TV in Baghdad.

Minibus driven by suicide bomber explodes near Saddam’s hometown, killing 4 Iraqi soldiers

Minibus bomb hits Iraqi base, killing 4 soldiers

BAGHDAD – Iraqi police say a suicide attacker has driven a bomb-laden minibus into the entrance of an Iraqi army base near Saddam Hussein’s hometown, setting off an explosion that killed four soldiers and wounded 10 others.
Dr. Samir Issa said two of the soldiers died while they were …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Minibus driven by suicide bomber explodes near Saddam’s hometown, killing 4 Iraqi soldiers.

Man assaulted for listening to rap music

NEW YORK – In an apparent case of racial abuse, a 22-year-old white man was assaulted by a black teenager because he was listening to rap music.

Joshuah Lamb, 14, allegedly punched David McKnight in Palm Bay, Florida, because he did not think white people should listen to that type of music, the Herald Sun reported. … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Man assaulted for listening to rap music.

CBI summons IPS officer Johri in Sohrabuddin case

GANDHINAGAR – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Thursday summoned Geetha Johri, the first woman IPS officer of Gujarat, by Aug 10 for questioning in connection with the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a staged shootout.

Johri was a part of the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by R.K. Raghavan to probe the …. Read the original article  : here.

Australian teacher avoids jail due to cancer

MELBOURNE – A teacher at a school for deaf in Melbourne who allegedly made students expose themselves in class has avoided prison because he has cancer.

The unnamed man, 55, asked students to expose their genitalia in class in the 1970s, the Victorian county court heard Thursday, Australian news agency AAP reported.
He was found guilty … Read more : Australian teacher avoids jail due to cancer.

Rescue workers fight heavy rain in search for dead, clues in Pakistan’s worst ever plane crash

Relatives search for corpses at Pakistan air crash

ISLAMABAD – Relatives desperate to find the bodies of their loved ones joined emergency teams battling thick mud, rain and slippery hillsides on Thursday at the scene of Pakistan’s worst-ever plane crash.
The Airbus A321 operated by local carrier Airblue crashed into hills overlooking the country’s capital, Islamabad, during …. Original source  : Rescue workers fight heavy rain in search for dead, clues in Pakistan’s worst ever plane crash.

Tucson News: 3 Dead In Helicopter Crash

TUCSON (GaeaTimes.com)- All three people aboard in a medical helicopter that crashed on the north side of Tucson, Arizona have died. The helicopter that was owned by the Colorado-based Air Methods was carrying no patients at the time of the crash. However, the crash has led to the death of a flight nurse and …. Source article  : Tucson News: 3 Dead In Helicopter Crash.

Close shave for JetLite flight in Lucknow

LUCKNOW – A New Delhi-bound JetLite flight with 140 passengers on board had a narrow escape here Thursday after a bird hit just as it was about to take-off, an official said.

“The plane was hit by the bird on the runway itself when it was about to take-off from the Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport,” Airport … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Close shave for JetLite flight in Lucknow.

Cargo plane crashes at military base in Anchorage, Alaska, with 4 on board; no word on deaths

Cargo plane crashes at Alaska base; 4 on board

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – A board of military officers plans to investigate a plane crash that witnesses say sent a fireball rising hundreds of feet over an Air Force base near downtown Anchorage.
The plane was on a local training run Wednesday when it crashed with …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Cargo plane crashes at military base in Anchorage, Alaska, with 4 on board; no word on deaths.

Wildfire explodes in rural Los Angeles County hills, forcing hundreds to evacuate

Wildfire explodes in rural LA County hills

PALMDALE, Calif. – Firefighters plan an aggressive air attack at first light Friday against a fast-moving wildfire that exploded in northern Los Angeles County, chewing through more than 7 square miles of dry brush, forcing hundreds of evacuations and burning at least three structures.
There is zero containment, authorities said.
Three …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Wildfire explodes in rural Los Angeles County hills, forcing hundreds to evacuate.

ATM catches fire, Rs.3 lakh burnt

LUCKNOW – Currency notes worth Rs.3 lakh were reduced to ashes after an ATM of a public sector bank caught fire in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district Friday, police said.

The Bank of Baroda ATM installed in the Kaushalpuri area was completely destroyed in the fire.
“Though the fire officials managed to control the fire from spreading …. Read the original article  : ATM catches fire, Rs.3 lakh burnt.

Tokyo’s `oldest’ man dead for 30 years

TOKYO – Police are investigating whether the family of Tokyo’s “oldest man” – who appears to have been dead at home for decades – fraudulently received pension money paid to him, news reports said Friday.

City officials went to see Sogen Kato, listed as Tokyo’s oldest man, to congratulate him on his 111th birthday, but …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Tokyo’s `oldest’ man dead for 30 years.

Cameras to monitor crime in Noida

NOIDA – Cameras mounted at vantage points in crowded areas that will be monitored 24X7 and other technology-based mapping systems and information systems will make this growing city safer for residents and those who come to work and study here, Noida Authority chairman and CEO Mohinder Singh said here.

“Cameras will be mounted at vantage …. Read the original article  : Cameras to monitor crime in Noida.

Bob Dudley to outline BP’s plans to help the Gulf region recover from massive oil spill

Dudley to outline BP plans to help Gulf recover

NEW ORLEANS – Incoming BP CEO Bob Dudley was set to outline his company’s long-term efforts to help the Gulf of Mexico recover from the oil spill Friday morning, and will be getting help from a Clinton administration-era emergency management official.
The oil giant said Dudley would be … Read more >>>.

History of pipeline problems follows Canadian company at center of huge Mich. river oil spill

Company at center of Mich. oil cited for problems

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – A Canadian company at the center of a huge oil spill in southern Michigan has a history of pipeline problems, including leaks, an explosion and dozens of regulatory violations.
Enbridge Inc. or its affiliates have been cited for 30 enforcement actions since 2002 by …. Source  : History of pipeline problems follows Canadian company at center of huge Mich. river oil spill.

US gas stations: Stay BP and its tainted image since Gulf oil spill or change name to Amoco?

US gas stations: Stay BP or change name to Amoco?

NEW ORLEANS – BP gas station owners across the country are divided over whether the oil giant stained by its handling of the Gulf spill should rebrand U.S. outlets as Amoco or another name as part of its effort to repair the company’s badly damaged reputation.
Some …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Unable to cope, mother kills baby in Australia

SYDNEY – A newborn baby in Australia died of head injuries after his mother pushed him out of his cot because she found it “hard to cope” with very little money, a court was told.

The seven-week-old boy died at a hospital in Newcastle May 6, 2006, having suffered a fractured skull, the New South Wales … Original article on : Unable to cope, mother kills baby in Australia.

13 hurt in clash at Bokaro Steel Plant

RANCHI – At least 13 people were injured Friday as residents protesting the expansion plans of the Bokaro Steel Plant in Jharkhand clashed with security personnel, police said.

The Bokaro Steel Plant, under its expansion plan, was constructing a boundary wall and gate to protect its area near Addakyari in Bokaro district, some 130 km from …. Read the original article  : 13 hurt in clash at Bokaro Steel Plant.

3 US troops die, bringing July toll to at least 63 for US in Afghanistan

3 US troops die, deadliest month of Afghan war
KABUL, Afghanistan – Three U.S. service members were killed in blasts in Afghanistan, bringing the toll for July to at least 63 and making it the deadliest month for American forces in the nearly 9-year-war.
A NATO statement Friday said the three died in two separate … Read more : 3 US troops die, bringing July toll to at least 63 for US in Afghanistan.

Prosecutors say Ark. doctor sought revenge, but no forensic evidence, witnesses link him bomb

Prosecutors: Revenge pushed Ark. doctor to bombing

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Prosecutors insist that a doctor accused of masterminding a bombing that disfigured the Arkansas State Medical Board chairman was a weapons fanatic bent on avenging the restriction of his medical license.
That image, built over three weeks of trial testimony, will be challenged Friday as Dr. …. Read the original article  : here.

Rescue and government officials say 3 days of floods have killed 313 people in Pakistan

Officials: Floods kill at least 313 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The death toll in three days of flooding in Pakistan reached at least 313 on Friday, rescue and government officials said, as rains bloated rivers, submerged villages, and triggered landslides.
The rising toll from the monsoon rains underscore the poor infrastructure in impoverished Pakistan, where under-equipped …. Read the original article  : here.

Constable held for supplying cartridges to Maoists

LUCKNOW – Police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested a constable from Sonbhadra district for allegedly smuggling cartridges from government armouries and selling them to Maoists, an official said Friday.

Constable Lok Nath, posted at the Churk Police Lines in Sonbhadra, some 350 km from Lucknow, used to operate the racket with the help of some police …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Three Indians freed of drug charge in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR – Three people of Indian origin – two of them brothers – have been acquitted by a high court in Malaysia of drug trafficking charges.

Judicial commissioner Ahmad Nasfy Yasin ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the three, a media report said Friday.
Brothers Tivagar Vadivelu, 35, and …. Read the original article  : here.

Sex-for-immigration lands Canadian judge in jail

TORONTO – In an embarrassing case for the Canadian immigration system, a court here Thursday jailed an immigration judge for demanding sex from a South Korean woman to grant her permanent residence in this country.

Fifty-one-year-old Steve Ellis will spend 18 months in jail for pressuring Ji Hye Kim in 2006 to have sex with him … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Sex-for-immigration lands Canadian judge in jail.

Over 200 die in Pakistan floods

ISLAMABAD – At least 230 people have died while hundreds of others have gone missing in floods triggered by heavy rains in the past three days in Pakistan’s northwestern region bordering Afghanistan.

Thousands of people have been rendered homeless in Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa province, while many houses, bridges and roads have been completely washed away by floodwater due …. Source  : Over 200 die in Pakistan floods.

Mumbai man nabbed in Chandigarh for duping wannabe actors

CHANDIGARH – A Mumbai man has been arrested here for duping nearly 25 wannabe TV and film actors of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of giving them roles in serials, movies and commercials of leading banners, police said Friday.

Sanjay Misra, who owns Tun-Tun promotions and Coordination Services in Mumbai, gave an advertisement in local … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Mumbai man nabbed in Chandigarh for duping wannabe actors.

Indian American faces 20-year jail for embezzling $34 mn from company

WASHINGTON – A former Indian-American executive, who “engaged in irrational and excessive buying sprees”, faces up to 20 years in jail after pleading guilty to embezzling $34 million from stereo headphone manufacturer Koss Corporation where she worked as vice president, finance.

Sachdeva, 46, pleaded guilty to all the six counts of wire fraud, for … Read more >>.

Rescue and government officials say floods kill 267 people in Pakistan over last 3 days

Officials: Floods kill at least 267 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The death toll in three days of flooding in Pakistan reached at least 267 on Friday, rescue and government officials said, as rains bloated rivers, submerged villages, and triggered landslides.
The rising toll from the monsoon rains underscore the poor infrastructure in impoverished Pakistan, where under-equipped …. Original source  : Rescue and government officials say floods kill 267 people in Pakistan over last 3 days.

1,200 homes evacuated in northern hills of LA County; brush fire spreading toward Palmdale

1,200 homes evacuated in LA Co. as fire spreads

PALMDALE, Calif. – A brush fire swept over more than 7 square miles, prompted evacuations and burned structures in rural Los Angeles County Thursday as water-dropping helicopters and crews scrambled to get ahead of the blaze.
Orange flames exploded through dry grasses, jumped roads and sped across the … Original article on : 1,200 homes evacuated in northern hills of LA County; brush fire spreading toward Palmdale.

Official: Workers found ‘black box’ data recorder from Pakistan plane crash that killed 152

Official: Pakistan plane crash ‘black box’ found

ISLAMABAD – An official says recovery workers have found the “black box” flight data recorder from the wreckage of the worst-ever plane in Pakistan.
The crash in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, killed all 152 people aboard the Airblue flight on Wednesday.
Ramzan Sajid of the Capital Development Authority, a government agency, … Read more : Official: Workers found ‘black box’ data recorder from Pakistan plane crash that killed 152.

Briton sues prison after fellow inmate slashes throat

LONDON – A British prisoner has sued the prison service for a sum of 100,000 pounds after his throat was allegedly slashed by a fellow inmate.

Ian Huntley, 36, is serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of two 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Cambridgeshire, 70 km from London.
Huntley, a former school …. Read the original article  : Briton sues prison after fellow inmate slashes throat.

Briton’s murder in Dharamsala: Police to seek Interpol help

DHARAMSALA – The Himachal Pradesh Police will approach Interpol to crack the 2006 murder case of a British charity worker in this town and seek extradition of the prime suspect from Scotland, an official said Saturday.

Michael Blakey’s battered body was found in November 2006 pinned beneath boulders in a shallow stream running through an old … Read : Briton’s murder in Dharamsala: Police to seek Interpol help.

Russia begins to localize fires, others rage as country wilts in hottest summer on record

Russia begins to localize fires, others rage
VORONEZH, Russia – About 30 people have died in the last three days alone as Russia’s massive forest fires have wiped out villages and vast areas of woodland, state television reported Saturday. Officials insist some of the worst blazes are under control.
Fires are still afflicting at least [..] Read the original article: here.

Drunk man enters school, hacks to death Class 1 boy

RAIPUR – A drunk 40-year-old man stormed into a government school brandishing a cleaver and brutally hacked to death a Class 1 student in a remote area of Chhattisgarh, police said Saturday.

The incident took place Friday in Bakna Khurd village in Surguja district, some 380 km from state capital Raipur.
The man, Suman Ram, entered …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Drunk man enters school, hacks to death Class 1 boy.

Debris linked to tropical storm found in relief well, setting back work on stopping gusher

Debris in relief well sets back work on gusher
NEW ORLEANS – Tropical Storm Bonnie left crews working to plug the Gulf oil gusher a little memento that is expected to push their work back about a day.
Crews found debris in the bottom of the relief well that ultimately will be used to plug … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Debris linked to tropical storm found in relief well, setting back work on stopping gusher.

Air tanker drops fire retardant, slows blaze’s march toward homes in high desert outside LA

Air tanker drops fire retardant, slows LA wildfire

PALMDALE, Calif. – Water-dropping aircraft slowed the progress of a wildfire that was bearing down on hundreds of homes in the high desert north of Los Angeles.
The blaze had consumed 20 square miles of brush, jumped an aqueduct and menaced power lines that deliver electricity to Southern California.
Winds …. Source  : Air tanker drops fire retardant, slows blaze’s march toward homes in high desert outside LA.

House approves offshore drilling bill, but Senate dispute could delay final action until fall

House approves oil spill bill; stalled in Senate

WASHINGTON – The House has approved a bill to boost safety standards for offshore drilling and remove a liability cap for oil spills, but a partisan fight in the Senate will likely delay action on a response to the Gulf oil spill until Congress returns from its summer …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : House approves offshore drilling bill, but Senate dispute could delay final action until fall.

Uttar Pradesh BJP leader’s wife murdered

LUCKNOW – The wife of a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator was found strangled to death inside her house in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district Saturday, police said.

The body of Revti Singh, wife of Hukum Singh, was found in the morning in the legislator’s residence in the posh Gandhi Colony in Nai Basti area, some …. Source  : Uttar Pradesh BJP leader’s wife murdered.

Broken bridges, washed-out roads: Rescuers struggle to reach flood victims in Pakistan

UN says deadly floods affect 1 million Pakistanis

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Rescuers trying to reach thousands of Pakistani flood victims were hampered by deluged roads and damaged bridges Saturday, though there were signs that waters were receding in parts of the country.
Floods killed more than 430 people in one week, left some 400,000 people stranded in … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Broken bridges, washed-out roads: Rescuers struggle to reach flood victims in Pakistan.

Women torture friend for having sex with ex

LONDON – Two women in Britain allegedly kidnapped and tortured a friend, scalding her with boiling water and kicking her, after they found out she had sex with one of their ex-boyfriends.

Lucy Viner-Mood, 22, and Lois Gibson, 18, locked Georgia Fenn in a flat in Langton Green in Kent March 28, and assaulted her for … Read : Women torture friend for having sex with ex.

Cleanup of Mich. river oil spill to take months, damage to wildlife to last much longer

Cleanup of Mich. river oil spill will take months

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Officials investigating the cause of a huge oil spill along a major river in southern Michigan say it will take months to clean up the mess, and damage to wetlands and wildlife may last considerably longer.
Enbridge Inc., the Canadian owner of the ruptured …. Source article  : Cleanup of Mich. river oil spill to take months, damage to wildlife to last much longer.

United Nations says devastating floods affect 1 million people in Pakistan; 430 people killed

UN says floods affect 1 million Pakistanis

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The United Nations says devastating floods have affected 1 million people in Pakistan.
Officials say floods have killed 430 people in the deadliest such disaster to hit the region since 1929.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the cost of damage from floods was … Original article on : United Nations says devastating floods affect 1 million people in Pakistan; 430 people killed.

Four-year-old boy shoots three-year-old girl

NEW YORK – A four-year-old boy in US’ Indianapolis city picked up a gun lying on a kitchen table and fired a shot that killed the three-year-old daughter of his father’s girlfriend.

After finding the .45-calibre handgun, the boy pointed it at the girl’s head and fired, police officer Jeff Duhamell of the Indianapolis metropolitan police …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Student commits suicide for Telangana, Osmania University tense

HYDERABAD – Osmania University here was tense Saturday as yet another student committed suicide in the campus, demanding the formation of separate Telangana state.

The charred body of Ishan Reddy, an engineering student, was found near the university library. In his hand-written suicide note found near the body, the student said he was fulfilling his “wish” … Read : Student commits suicide for Telangana, Osmania University tense.

Three killed in Thane road accident

THANE – Three people from Rajasthan, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed when a passenger bus rammed into a stationery truck on the outskirts of Maharashtra’s Thane district early Saturday, officials said.

The luxury bus was on a trip from Rajasthan to Mumbai when the accident took place on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway around 5.30 a.m., said … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Three killed in Thane road accident.

Huge fire in plywood factory in Kanpur

LUCKNOW – A massive fire broke out in a plywood factory in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district Saturday morning, destroying goods worth lakhs of rupees, police said. No casualties were reported.

The blaze engulfed the plywood factory in Jhakarkati area, which houses a series of commercial establishments.
“Twelve fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the … Read more : Huge fire in plywood factory in Kanpur.

Toll in Kashmir violence rises to four

SRINAGAR – The toll in Friday’s violence in the Kashmir Valley rose to four after another youth succumbed to his injuries here, police said Saturday.

“Nazir Ahmad Mir, 23, who was critically injured in yesterday’s (Friday’s) violence in north Kashmir’s Pattan town died in hospital late at night,” a senior police officer here said.
“A large … Read more : Toll in Kashmir violence rises to four.

Explosion at coal mine kills at least 15 in northern China known for mining disasters

Explosion at coal mine kills at least 15 in China

BEIJING – An explosion ripped through a workers’ dormitory area and killed at least 15 people Saturday at a coal mine in a city in northern China notorious for mining disasters.
The cause of the 2 a.m. blast at the Liugou mine in Linfen city in the … Original source on Gaea Times at : Explosion at coal mine kills at least 15 in northern China known for mining disasters.

15 die in China coalmine blast

BEIJING – Fifteen people were killed in a blast at a coalmine in northern China Saturday, Xinhua reported.

The blast took place around 2.40 a.m. at the Liugou coalmine in Shanxi province’s Yicheng county, an official of the provincial government said. The rescue work is currently underway.
… Read more »».