Investigators seek caller whose hijack threat left American Airlines flight grounded for hours

Caller sought whose hijack threat grounded flight

SAN FRANCISCO – Investigators are seeking the identity of a caller whose hijacking threat left a jetliner grounded and passengers wondering why two of their own were escorted off the aircraft by authorities.
Police said that a clerk at a business in Alameda, a city across San Francisco Bay from … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Investigators seek caller whose hijack threat left American Airlines flight grounded for hours.

World stock markets slide as dour US economy news renews concerns about slowdown

World stocks slide after dour US economy news

BANGKOK – World markets dropped Friday as more dour reports on the U.S. economy renewed concerns about a slowing recovery and sent stock investors packing.
Wall Street set the stage for Asia and Europe’s losses after figures showed an unexpected rise in first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits and … Original article on : World stock markets slide as dour US economy news renews concerns about slowdown.

Armenia agrees to host Russian base through 2044

Russian base in Armenia to stay through 2044

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenia has agreed to host a Russian military base through 2044 in exchange for additional security guarantees.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said after talks Friday with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Moscow has pledged to protect Armenia’s security and provide modern weapons for its military …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Armenia agrees to host Russian base through 2044.

Over a crore boxes of apples transported out of Himachal

SHIMLA – With apple harvesting in full swing, Himachal Pradesh has transported over one crore boxes of its delicious fruit to different places in the country, a minister said here Friday.

A box contains 20 kg of apples.
“Till date 1.2 crore boxes have been sent to various markets in the country,” Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta … Read more >>>.

Government clears four loaning of Ranchi-Jamshedpur highway

NEW DELHI – The government Friday approved four laning of a section of the national highway connecting Ranchi and Jamshedpur in Jharkhand at an estimated cost of Rs.1,479 crore.

This will help reduce the time and cost of travel between the state capital and the industrial town.
“The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved the implementation …. Read the original article  : here.

Part “club,” part bourse, the Iraq Stock Exchange lumbers on past the country’s hurdles

In Iraq’s troubles, an exchange eyes growth

BAGHDAD – It’s not exactly Wall Street.
In rows of black chairs, elderly men sit chatting, casting the occasional glance at projection screens displaying the latest market movements on the Iraq Stock Exchange. Occasionally, one gets up and wanders to the back of the darkened room, by the glass divider …. Read the original article  : here.

Democrats say they’re optimistic money, manpower will help stem losses this fall

Dems hope money, manpower stem losses
ST. LOUIS – Under no illusions about their challenges this fall, Democrats are expressing optimism that the party’s financial might and voter turnout operations will help stem widespread losses. The GOP’s governing track record may help, too, they say.
“There’s a lot of doom and gloom about … Read : Democrats say they’re optimistic money, manpower will help stem losses this fall.

Growers say USDA must act soon after judge’s ruling raises questions about US sugar supply

Growers: Feds must act, prevent sugar supply issue

DES MOINES, Iowa – Some sugar beet growers are uneasy as they wait for federal officials to decide the next step for a crop that provides half the nation’s sugar supply.
A federal judge in California issued a ruling earlier this month that prevents future planting of sugar beets … Read more >>>.

Punjab to revive village ponds in Rs.336 mn project

CHANDIGARH – The Punjab government has approved a pilot project to rejuvenate 512 village ponds in all the 20 districts of the state at a cost of Rs.336.6 million (Rs.33.66 crore), an official said Friday.

A spokesperson for Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s office said the work on 250 village ponds each would be undertaken by …. Source article  : Punjab to revive village ponds in Rs.336 mn project.

Strand, Narayana Hrudalaya to collaborate in translational cancer research

Bangalore, Aug.20 (ANI-Business Wire India): Strand Life Sciences, a technology pioneer in the practice of scientific intelligence in health sciences, today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mazumdar Shaw Comprehensive Cancer Centre (MSCC) of the Narayana Hrudalaya (NH), for collaboration in translational cancer research.

The partnership is aimed at performing joint … Original article on : Strand, Narayana Hrudalaya to collaborate in translational cancer research.

Sensex in the red, Asian cues weak

MUMBAI – A benchmark index for Indian equities Friday was in the red in afternoon trade. Most other Asian markets too were trading in the negative.

Weighing the indices down were banking, IT and telecom stocks.
Earlier, the index had moved up into the green briefly from it’s opening lows.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) …. Original article  : Sensex in the red, Asian cues weak.

Uganda offers farmland for Indian investment

NEW DELHI – As India looks at avenues beyond its shores to deal with food security, Uganda, which has nearly half the arable land in east Africa, has laid the red carpet for inward investment from India Inc. in its farming sector.

“Nobody can beat the opportunities my country has in agriculture,” …. Original article  : Uganda offers farmland for Indian investment.

No more groping: Indonesian train operator designates women-only carriages in the capital

Indonesian train now has women-only carriages

JAKARTA, Indonesia – As the train rattled into Indonesia’s capital, 19-year-old Wiwit Wahyuningsih leaned back in a soft, pink-cushioned seat in a carriage newly designated exclusively for women.
It was a great feeling, the university student said, knowing she didn’t have to worry about being ogled at, pinched or even groped.
“The …. Read the original article  : No more groping: Indonesian train operator designates women-only carriages in the capital.

BlackBerry’s iPad to use US Army’s Crusher-vehicle tech

TORONTO – BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) will pack its soon-to-be-launched iPad with a unique software technology currently being used in navigating the powerful Crusher combat vehicle by the US Army.

The iPad will likely be called BlackPad as RIM has already registered the domain name of blackpad.com for it.
It is expected to be … Read more >>>.

Asian stock markets slide as dour US economy news renews concerns about slowdown

Asian stocks slide after dour US economy news

BANGKOK – Asian markets slid Friday as more dour reports on the U.S. economy renewed concerns about a slowing recovery and sent stock investors packing.
Wall Street set the stage for Asia’s losses after figures showed an unexpected rise in claims for U.S. unemployment benefits and a drop in …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Oil wallows below $75 in Asia as economic news renews expectations of weak crude demand

Oil wallows below $75 in Asia on dim economic news

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Oil prices wallowed below $75 a barrel Friday in Asia as a spate of weak figures on the U.S. economy added to expectations that demand for crude will weaken.
Benchmark crude for October delivery edged up 9 cents to $74.52 a barrel at …. Source article  : Oil wallows below $75 in Asia as economic news renews expectations of weak crude demand.

‘Railways cannot be run on auto pilot’

NEW DELHI – Prolonged absence of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee from her headquarters continues to draw criticism, particularly after a spate of train accidents in recent months and apparent lack of ability of her deputies to handle the situation.

“The railway ministry is not an aeroplane that you put in an auto pilot mode and go … Read : ‘Railways cannot be run on auto pilot’.

Fidelity: Struggling workers increasingly tapping 401(k) accounts for needed cash

Fidelity: 401(k) hardship withdrawals, loans up

In the wake of news about a spike in new applications for unemployment benefits comes another potentially troubling sign: A record number of workers made hardship withdrawals from their retirement accounts in the second quarter.
What’s more, the number of workers borrowing from their accounts reached a 10-year high, according to …. Original article  : Fidelity: Struggling workers increasingly tapping 401(k) accounts for needed cash.

No interference in resolving Bhopal issue: US

WASHINGTON – A top US official at the centre of a controversy over remarks purportedly linking the Bhopal gas disaster with India-US investment ties has asserted the US does not seek to interfere in resolving the issue.

“Resolving the Bhopal issue is for the Indian people to decide. The US does not seek to interfere …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : No interference in resolving Bhopal issue: US.

A village faces a nine-year-long power failure!

PIPRIA SINGIPUR – Can you imagine a power outage for nine long years? That’s exactly what this village in Pilibhit district has had to endure after its main transformer developed a snag in 2001. Pilibhit is the parliamentary constituency of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Varun Gandhi.

While an engineer in the power corporation says he is [..] Read the original article: here.