Meteor Shower August 2010 To Fascinate Sky-Gazers

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (GaeaTimes.com)- A dazzling display of meteors is expected to lighten up the night sky starting on Thursday as the annual Perseid meteor shower would ensure that the sky-gazers have a time of their life. Sky-gazers are waiting eagerly to catch a glimpse of the fascinating show as weather officials have predicted … Read : Meteor Shower August 2010 To Fascinate Sky-Gazers.

Christian charity: Non-local fighters, not thieves killed 10 aid workers in Afghanistan

Aid group: fighters not thieves killed 10 workers

KABUL, Afghanistan – A Christian charity group says it now believes non-local fighters killed 10 members of its medical team last week in a remote area of northern Afghanistan – not robbers as the charity first suspected.
Dirk Frans, director of International Assistance Mission, said soon after the attack …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Christian charity: Non-local fighters, not thieves killed 10 aid workers in Afghanistan.

‘Troubling’ topless sunbather sparks Italian debate

LONDON – A woman in Italy has sparked a debate after she reported a topless sunbathing woman to cops saying that the way she applied suntan lotion ‘troubled’ her sons.

The 26-year-old woman, identified only as Luisa under Italian privacy laws, was sunbathing on a public beach at Anzio south of Rome.

The mother asked the woman, …. Source article  : ‘Troubling’ topless sunbather sparks Italian debate.

14-year-old Brazilian girl jailed for ‘consensual sex’

SYDNEY – A Brazilian girl has been sentenced to jail in Abu Dhabi for having “consensual sex” with a Pakistani school bus driver, claim local newspapers.

The 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to six months in prison followed by deportation.

The girl was sentenced after prosecutors charged that she had “consensual sex” and had arranged the meeting …. Original source  : 14-year-old Brazilian girl jailed for ‘consensual sex’.

Bookshelf spills economics, underworld, god (IANS Books This Week)

NEW DELHI – As the weather slides and more clouds threaten to burst, retreat with a book and a cup of coffee. The mixed bag this week…

1. “Superpower? The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise”: Written by Raghav Bahl; Published by Penguin-Books India; Priced at Rs.699.
With telling insights into the two Asian … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Bookshelf spills economics, underworld, god (IANS Books This Week).

Govt. will not allow caste-based census to affect head count integrity: Mukherjee

NEW DELHI – Union Finance Minister and Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee, on Thursday said that the Central Government will not allow caste-based census to affect the integrity of the head count in the country.
Assuring members of the Lok Sabha on this issue, Mukherjee said that the views of all … Read more >>>.

Army sets up relief camp for flood victims in Leh

LEH – Indian Army and paramilitary personnel have erected relief camps and are providing food and medical aid to locals, as they begin to rebuild their lives in the flood ravaged region of Leh, Ladakh.

Leh was devastated after the region was ravaged by flash floods caused by a sudden cloudburst on August 6 that claimed [..] Read the original article: here.

Bhubaneswar Museum exhibits gigantic blue whale skeleton

BHUBANESWAR – A skeleton of blue whale is the latest addition to the Regional Museum of Natural History in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
The skeleton is of the Baleen Whale, probably the largest of its kind to be housed in an Indian museum.

It measures 47.3 feet in length. The whale was reportedly washed ashore on Gopalpur beach …. Source  : Bhubaneswar Museum exhibits gigantic blue whale skeleton.

4 in 5 Britons carry on eating even when they are full

LONDON – ‘Finish what’s on your plate’ doesn’t seem like such a great idea anymore, especially if you are full. In fact, the very same rule could be making us fatter.

A UK survey has found that four in five Britons keep eating even after they are full, and more than 50 pc women end up …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 4 in 5 Britons carry on eating even when they are full.

Villagers stranded following cloudburst over Kashmir’s Khonmoh village

KHONMOH – Resident of Khonmoh village near Srinagar were left stranded following a cloudburst on Wednesday.

Most of the locals were forced to stay indoors till the downpour stopped. Several houses were damaged and some were submerged under water.

Shakeel Ahmad, a resident of Khonmoh said the rains kept them indoors for three to four hours.

“Water seeped …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Villagers stranded following cloudburst over Kashmir’s Khonmoh village.

Florence Nightingale’s walk home ‘could be a myth’

LONDON – Florence Nightingale’s famous lone walk home under the cover of darkness after the Crimean War may never have happened, a local historian has claimed.

According to the historian, who bases his doubt on a newspaper article he uncovered, the tale of the nurse’s two-mile walk along the Cromford Canal in Derbyshire carrying a heavy … Original article on : Florence Nightingale’s walk home ‘could be a myth’.

Tibetan author fears execution by Chinese authorities for ’spillitism’ writings

BEIJING – A Tibetan writer and intellectual has expressed fear about being executed by authorities in China for his anti-Beijing write-ups.

Tragyal, a 47-year-old Tibetan who writes under the name Shogdung, had been an employee at a state-run publisher. He faces the charge of “splittism,” one of the gravest crimes under Chinese law.

His book “The … Original article on : Tibetan author fears execution by Chinese authorities for ’spillitism’ writings.

Caste census to be undertaken from biometric stage: GOM

NEW DELHI – The Group of Ministers (GoM) cleared the inclusion of caste in census here on Wednesday saying the exercise would be undertaken from the biometric stage, restricting months of uncertainty over the issue that had divided many parties.

The committee, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, met a few days after the deadline ended … Read more >>>.

Iran ’stoning to death’ woman tortured into ‘confessing’ to adultery, murder on TV

LONDON – An Iranian woman whose sentence to death by stoning sparked an international outcry is feared to be facing imminent execution, after she told state-run TV that she had committed adultery and was involved in a murder following torture in prison.

Speaking shakily in her native Azeri language, which could be heard through a voice …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Iran ’stoning to death’ woman tortured into ‘confessing’ to adultery, murder on TV.

Russia marks 10th anniversary of Kursk nuclear submarine disaster with memorial ceremonies

Russia marks 10th anniversary of Kursk sub sinking

MOSCOW – Russian navy ships are flying flags at half-mast and memorial ceremonies are being held across the nation to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster.
The Kursk, one of Russia’s most advanced submarines, suffered two powerful explosions and sank during naval maneuvers in the …. Original source  : Russia marks 10th anniversary of Kursk nuclear submarine disaster with memorial ceremonies.

Park Service recruits students to guard historic sites, diversify force on fast-track to jobs

Park Service has students guard historic sites

BALTIMORE – The National Park Service is facing a shortage of rangers at urban park sites like Fort McHenry and has enlisted Temple University in Philadelphia as a partner to try to fill those gaps.
An internship program trains Temple students for jobs once they graduate. As interns, they are … Read more >>>.

China begins clearing out villages for water diversion project that will serve thirsty Beijing

China starts biggest relocation since 3 Gorges

BEIJING – China has launched its biggest relocation program since the Three Gorges Dam, with 330,000 residents set to be moved to new homes to make way for a water project that will serve thirsty Beijing.
The first group of 499 villagers was moved Wednesday in central China’s Hubei province … Read more >>.

AP-Univision poll: Drawn by culture, many US Latinos who speak English turn to Spanish media

Poll: Many US Hispanics turn to Spanish TV, radio

WASHINGTON – An Associated Press-Univision poll finds many English-speaking Hispanics turn frequently to Spanish-language TV and radio, drawn by a cultural connection and some concerns that English-language media portray them negatively.
The poll says about 4 in 10 Latinos who spoke mostly English spent time each day – …. Read the original article  : AP-Univision poll: Drawn by culture, many US Latinos who speak English turn to Spanish media.

Journey of life through father-son’s lens

NEW DELHI – The country’s art fraternity is all set to host award-winning photojournalist Pablo Bartholomew and his illustrious father, art critic, writer and lensman Richard Bartholomew, at the Harrington Street Art Centre in Kolkata Aug 14 in twin expositions, adjacent to one another.

“While son Pablo will exhibit a collection of travel and documentary photographs, [..] Read the original article: here.

New Hampshire Democrat criticized for publicly stating death wish for Palin

NEW YORK – A New Hampshire Democrat is under severe criticism for saying that former Governor Sarah Palin should have crashed with Senator Ted Stevens.

Ted Stevens’ died on Monday in a plane crash near a small fishing town on Alaska’s Bristol Bay.

Keith Halloran, a Democratic candidate for state representative in New Hampshire, took a swipe …. Source  : New Hampshire Democrat criticized for publicly stating death wish for Palin.