Hurricane warning issued for the US Virgin Islands as Hurricane Earl approaches

Hurricane warning issued for US Virgin Islands

MIAMI – A hurricane warning has been issued for the U.S. Virgin Islands as Hurricane Earl begins hitting the Caribbean.
The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds increased early Monday to near 105 mph (165 kph) with additional strengthening expected.
Earl is located about 50 miles (75 kilometers) east-northeast of St. Martin.
Hurricane Earl … Read more »»».

China probes jet crash

BEIJING – China Monday set up a task force to probe the crash of a passenger jet that killed 42 people, a media report said.

The accident occurred last Tuesday in northeastern Yichun city. Fifty-four people were injured. The jet belonged to the Henan Airlines.
The probe team consists of officials from six central government …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Pakistan frees 100 Indian fishermen

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Monday freed 100 Indian fishermen from a prison in the port city of Karachi, a media report said.

They were expected to leave the Malir prison for Lahore by road, Dawn reported. They are being released on the order of the federal government, it said.
Some 442 Indian fishermen who completed their [..] Read the original article: here.

Brock Mealer aims to show miraculous recovery from spinal-cord injury before Michigan’s opener

Mealers bounce back from tragedy that took 2 lives

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Brock Mealer is going to lead Michigan’s football team onto the field before its opener against Connecticut in a way few thought was possible.
He’ll be walking.
The brother of Wolverines offensive lineman Elliott Mealer was severely injured in a car accident that killed his …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Brock Mealer aims to show miraculous recovery from spinal-cord injury before Michigan’s opener.

Thousands begin to return to historic city in southern Pakistan saved from floods

Historic city in south Pakistan saved from floods

THATTA, Pakistan – Thousands of people streamed back to this historic southern city Monday where new levees hastily built from clay and stone held back floodwaters that have inundated much of Pakistan.
Thousands who fled the waters that inundated neighboring towns complained about the shortage of food and water … Read more >>.

Youth found dead in Punjab in suspected honour killing

CHANDIGARH – A man in his mid-20s has been killed in Punjab’s Sangrur district, police said Monday and suspected it to be a case of honour killing.

The body of Raja Ram was recovered early Monday by his relatives and the police from railway tracks in a village near Sangrur, about 130 km from Chandigarh.
A … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Youth found dead in Punjab in suspected honour killing.

Probe over doctors’ labour room brawl in Italy

LONDON – A probe was launched after a child in Italy was born with brain damage as doctors attending on the mother who had gone into labour came to blows over the need for a caesarean section, a media report said Monday.

Laura Salpietro, 30, had her womb removed after the birth. Her husband claims … Read more >>>.

Notice to Maharashtra on Pragya Singh’s bail plea (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Monday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government on a bail petition of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the main accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast.

Thakur and 10 others have been arrested for the blast in Malegaon, a textile town in north Maharashtra, on Sep 29, 2008, in which six …. Original source  : Notice to Maharashtra on Pragya Singh’s bail plea (Second Lead).

New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani engine derails, sabotage suspected

KOLKATA – Passengers aboard the New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express had a narrow escape Monday when two front wheels of the train’s engine derailed in West Bengal’s Hooghly district. An Eastern Railway spokesperson said sabotage could not be ruled out.

No casualties were reported.
“Two front wheels of the engine derailed around 9.25 a.m. near Baruipara station, [..] Read the original article: here.

Kanpur engineering student ragged, hospitalised

LUCKNOW – A first-year engineering student in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district was hospitalised after he was allegedly ragged and assaulted by his seniors because he declined to mouth abusive words, police said Monday.

Rajanshu, a B.Tech student of the Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, was ill-treated by a group of seniors inside his hostel room …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Kanpur engineering student ragged, hospitalised.

Russian nursing home blaze kills 9; officials say resident may have set self on fire

Russian nursing home fire kills 9 people
MOSCOW – A blaze that killed nine people at a Russian nursing home early Monday apparently started when an elderly resident doesed himself in gasoline and set himself on fire, investigators said.

Daria Korovina, a spokeswoman for the regional Emergencies Ministry, said two other people were injured in the fire …. Source  : Russian nursing home blaze kills 9; officials say resident may have set self on fire.

HDFC Bank in Mumbai looted of Rs.26 lakh

MUMBAI – Armed men looted about Rs.26 lakh at gunpoint from a branch of the HDFC Bank in suburban Borivli area here Monday morning, officials said.

The armed heist took place around 9.30 a.m. at the branch located on Shimpoli Road. “We are awaiting more details,” said a police official from the Borivli police station. …. Read the original article  : here.

Notice to Maharashtra on Pragya Singh’s bail plea

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Monday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government on a bail petition of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the main accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast.

Thakur and 10 others have been arrested for the blast in Malegaon, a textile town in north Maharashtra, on Sep 29, 2008, in which six … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Notice to Maharashtra on Pragya Singh’s bail plea.

Hurricane Earl threatens north Caribbean, expected to gain force

Growing Hurricane Earl threatens north Caribbean

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Hurricane Earl lashed northern Leeward Islands with heavy rain and strong winds Monday after strengthening into a Category 2 storm. Hotels were shut tightly overnight as tourists sought shelter inside their rooms.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Earl could become a major hurricane … Read : Hurricane Earl threatens north Caribbean, expected to gain force.

Apex court issues notice to Rama Raju on bail

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to B. Rama Raju and four others involved in Satyam scam as to why their bail should not be cancelled.

Rama Raju is the brother of Satyam founder and chairperson B. Ramalinga Raju.
The apex court bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma issued the … Original source on Gaea Times at : Apex court issues notice to Rama Raju on bail.

Afghan leader urges rethink of ‘ineffective’ anti-terror strategy, criticizes civilian deaths

Afghan president criticizes anti-terror strategy

KABUL, Afghanistan – President Hamid Karzai renewed his criticism of coalition strategy in fighting Afghanistan’s stubborn insurgency, saying it has thus far produced nothing but civilian deaths.
Meanwhile, a district chief from eastern Afghanistan was killed Monday by a bomb placed in his car that exploded as he was entering a government … Read : Afghan leader urges rethink of ‘ineffective’ anti-terror strategy, criticizes civilian deaths.

Nepal continues to probe plane crash that killed 14 people, searches for black boxes

Nepal searches for black boxes after plane crash

KATMANDU, Nepal – Nepalese investigators hoping to find the cause of a small plane crash last week that killed 14 people, including six foreigners, offered a reward Monday for help in finding the aircraft’s “black box” recorders.
Investigators still have been unable to locate the voice and data recorders … Original source on Gaea Times at : Nepal continues to probe plane crash that killed 14 people, searches for black boxes.

9 dead in Russian nursing home blaze; officials say resident may have set self on fire

9 dead in Russian nursing home fire
MOSCOW – A fire broke out early Monday at a Russian nursing home, killing nine people, and emergency officials said the blaze may have been started by a resident setting himself on fire.

A spokeswoman for the regional Emergencies Ministry, Daria Korovina, said the fire at the facility in Tver …. Read the original article  : 9 dead in Russian nursing home blaze; officials say resident may have set self on fire.

Four killed in Maharashtra wall collapse

MUMBAI – Four people were killed early Monday when a wall collapsed on their hut in Maharashtra’s Ulhasnagar town, police said.

“The incident happened around 4.30 a.m. at Ambedkar Nagar slums. A wall of the neighbouring building came crashing down on the hut when the victims were still asleep,” said a police official from Hill … Read : Four killed in Maharashtra wall collapse.

Howrah-bound Rajdhani derails in Bengal

KOLKATA – Two coaches of the Howrah-bound Rajdhani Express derailed in West Bengal’s Hooghly district Monday, police said. No casualties were reported.

“I have got information that two coaches have been derailed at Baruipara. Senior officers are going to the spot,” Additional Director General of Police (Rail) Dilip Mitra told IANS.
…. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Howrah-bound Rajdhani derails in Bengal.

11 electrocuted in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – At least 11 labourers engaged on a state government-sponsored construction project were electrocuted in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur district Tuesday, an official said.

According to police, the accident took place Tuesday afternoon in the Singhai town, where labourers were working on a housing project.
“Preliminary reports reveal that the 11 labourers came in contact with …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Gujarat top cop gets reprieve in alleged shootout case

AHMEDABAD – Justice R.H. Shukla of the Gujarat High Court Tuesday quashed the first information report (FIR) filed by the state police against its own Additional Director General of Police Kuldip Sharma in a 26-year-old alleged staged shootout case.

Sharma, who in terms of seniority is in the line for the job of the director general … Read more »»».

China plane crash victims to be compensated

BEIJING – Families and relatives of the people who died in the Aug 24 plane crash in Yichun city will receive 960,000 yuan ($141,100) in compensation for each death.

A Henan Airlines jet carrying 96 people crashed in Yichun, a mountainous city in Heilongjiang province. Forty-two of the people on board the flight died.
Henan … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : China plane crash victims to be compensated.

Indian aid to Pakistan upped to $25 mn

NEW DELHI – India has increased its aid for Pakistan flood victims to $25 million from the $5 million announced earlier, but the assistance will be routed through the United Nations, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said here Tuesday.

“(The) government has decided to increase its assistance to Pakistan from $5 million, announced earlier, to $25 …. Source  : Indian aid to Pakistan upped to $25 mn.

Human body parts found dumped in US street

NEW YORK – Body parts – two severed arms and a leg of a black woman – have been found dumped in different spots of a street in Detroit, police said.

Police were trying to identify the victim, and said the body parts were dark in complexion, suggesting the victim may have been African-American, Fox News … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Human body parts found dumped in US street.

Mohammed Asif dropped from Malayalam film

KOZHIKODE – Mired in a match-fixing controversy, tainted Pakistani fast bowler Mohammed Asif who was to debut in a Malayalam film has now been dropped from the movie, according to its director Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.

Namboothiri told mediapersons Tuesday that now he just can’t go ahead with the project with Asif.
“He has to be …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Grenade fired at Thai state-run TV station damages news van in latest unclaimed attack

Grenade explodes at Thai state-run TV station

BANGKOK – A grenade was fired into the compound of Thailand’s state-run broadcaster Tuesday, damaging several vehicles but causing no injuries in the latest in a spate of unclaimed attacks in the Thai capital.
Police said the grenade was fired from an expressway overlooking the government-run National Broadcasting Services of … Read more »»».

Four in Himachal sentenced for killing ragging protester

DHARAMSALA – A court in this Himachal Pradesh town has convicted four students for stabbing to death another student, who stopped them from ragging juniors in a degree college in 2003, a law official said here Tuesday.

“Four of the five students were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment by Additional District and Sessions Judge [..] Read the original article: here.

Teenager tortures man for gossiping about lesbian lover

SYDNEY – An 18-year-old woman tied a man her age to a chair with an electrical cord, doused him with kerosene, forced him to eat dog food and hit him on the head with a broom for allegedly gossiping about her and her lesbian girlfriend.

Judge Frank Gucciardo of a county court Tuesday said Georgia Bucknell … Read : Teenager tortures man for gossiping about lesbian lover.

NATO says 4 American troops killed in roadside bomb explosion in eastern Afghanistan

4 American troops killed by bomb in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – NATO says four American troops have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in eastern Afghanistan.
Tuesday’s deaths come amid a particularly bloody period for American forces in the country, with 18 service members killed since Saturday to bring this month’s total to 53. Another member …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : NATO says 4 American troops killed in roadside bomb explosion in eastern Afghanistan.

Fatal bear attack highlights Ohio’s lax laws on exotic pets and high number of fatal attacks

Bear attack highlights lax Ohio exotic pet laws

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The bear that recently killed a caretaker in a Cleveland suburb was the latest example of animal violence in Ohio. The state has some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.
After a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Fatal bear attack highlights Ohio’s lax laws on exotic pets and high number of fatal attacks.

Fair price shop dealer lynched in Jharkhand

RANCHI – Suspected Maoists beat a fair price shop dealer to death in Jharkhand’s Latehar district Tuesday, police said.

Mukesh Prasad was killed in Turudih village of Latehar, about 140 km from here.
The villagers alleged that he was selling the fair price shop foodgrain in open market and not providing wheat and rice to … Read more »».

India ups Pakistan flood aid to $25 mn

NEW DELHI – India has raised its aid for Pakistan flood victims to $25 million from the $5 million announced earlier, but the assistance will be routed through the United Nations, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.

“(The) government has decided to increase its assistance to Pakistan from $5 million, announced …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Australian man stabs dog to death

MELBOURNE – Police in Melbourne are searching for a “disturbed” man who stabbed a small dog to death inside its kennel before jumping over a fence when the dog’s owner saw him.

Coco, a male Maltese shih-tzu, was stabbed numerous times during the assault, which occured around 5.25 p.m. Monday in Derrick Street, The Age reported. …. Read the original article  : Australian man stabs dog to death.

After swallowing 2 final towns, floods that have devastated Pakistan head for the Arabian Sea

Devastating Pakistan floods finally heading to sea

KARACHI, Pakistan – Floodwaters that have devastated Pakistan for five weeks headed to the Arabian Sea on Tuesday after swallowing two final towns, but the challenges of delivering emergency aid to 8 million people remained.
The floods have moved down from the mountainous northwest, submerging or affecting almost 1/5 of … Original source on Gaea Times at : After swallowing 2 final towns, floods that have devastated Pakistan head for the Arabian Sea.

Taliban tap Pakistan flood misery to enlist 50,000 men

LONDON – Taliban guerrillas are taking advantage of the large-scale misery caused by the devastating floods in Pakistan by attempting to enlist 50,000 new fighters — in return for food and medicine.

The Taliban is eyeing the floods as an opportunity to begin their biggest recruiting drive in a decade, officials told The Sun. …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Child killed as school bus overturns in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – An eight-year-old student was killed and 15 were injured when their school bus overturned in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district Tuesday, police said.

The Norman Public School’s bus carrying around 20 children overturned in the Rudrapur area.
“Sandeep, a Class four student, died while 15 students suffered multiple injuries. The injured were being treated in …. Original article  : Child killed as school bus overturns in Uttar Pradesh.

Hurricane Earl Path May Change

NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com)- Hurricane Earl which has become a category 4 Hurricane by now is expected to change its path and may pose a huge threat to the East coast region than what was expected earlier. If the hurricane does not deviate from its path it may cause damage to the region in parts …. Original article  : Hurricane Earl Path May Change.

Chilean rescuers begin hard part, drilling through solid rock to reach 33 trapped miners

Drill begins hard work of drilling to reach miners

SAN JOSE MINE, Chile – Thirty-three men stuck a half mile underground are now the longest-trapped miners in recent history as a huge drill is the early stages of digging a planned escape route.
The men were trapped Aug. 5 when a landslide blocked the shaft down into … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Chilean rescuers begin hard part, drilling through solid rock to reach 33 trapped miners.

18 hand-grenades found in Punjab fields

FEROZEPUR – The troopers of the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 18 hand-grenades from the fields of Rampur village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, bordering Pakistan, officials said here Tuesday.

“We received a complaint from Surinder Singh, a farmer, who found a grenade while working in his fields. We launched a search operation and found 17 more … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 18 hand-grenades found in Punjab fields.

Bomb attack kills Muslim religious leader in southern Afghanistan’s violent Kandahar city

Bomb attack kills Afghan Muslim religious leader

KABUL, Afghanistan – A bomb attack Wednesday in Afghanistan’s volatile southern city of Kandahar killed the director of the local office for facilitating pilgrimages to Islamic holy sites, police said.
One other person was killed in the attack on Mohammad Hassan Taimuri and two people wounded, Kandahar police chief Sher … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Bomb attack kills Muslim religious leader in southern Afghanistan’s violent Kandahar city.

Bomb attack kills Muslim religous leader in southern Afghanistan’s violent Kandahar city

Bomb attack kills Afghan Muslim religous leader

KABUL, Afghanistan – A bomb attack Wednesday in Afghanistan’s volatile southern city of Kandahar killed the director of the local office for facilitating pilgrimages to Islamic holy sites, police said.
One other person was killed in the attack on Mohammad Hassan Taimuri and two people wounded, Kandahar police chief Sher …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Bomb attack kills Muslim religous leader in southern Afghanistan’s violent Kandahar city.

Four Punjab prisoners injured in clash

CHANDIGARH – Four prisoners were injured, two of them seriously, when a clash broke out between them in Punjab’s Bathinda town Wednesday, police said.

The clash occurred when the prisoners were being taken by a police escort for a local court hearing from the Bathinda jail.
“Two of the prisoners are seriously injured and have … Read more >>.

3,185 dead in China floods in 2010

BEIJING – Floods triggered by torrential rains in China in 2010 have left a total of 3,185 people dead and at least 1,060 are still missing, the ministry of civil affairs said.

Heavy rains hit many provinces this year, including Gansu, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Jilin, Jiangxi and Hubei, affecting over 230 million people.
Around 15.2 million people …. Read the original article  : 3,185 dead in China floods in 2010.

Nation is with you, President assures people of Leh

JAMMU – President Pratibha Patil Wednesday told the people of Leh that the entire country was with them and no effort would be spared in providing them relief and rehabilitation after flash floods killed at least 183 people last month.

Patil said she was in Leh to assure the people that the country was behind them … Original source on Gaea Times at : Nation is with you, President assures people of Leh.

Krishna idol stolen from Ranchi temple

RANCHI – In a theft discovered just a day ahead of Janmashtami, an idol of Lord Krishna was stolen from the Sri Sri Sideshawar Mahadeo temple in the Jharkhand capital, police said Wednesday.

The criminals also stole a crown and a gold chain from the temple, police said.
“When we opened the temple door at around …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Krishna idol stolen from Ranchi temple.

Time is running out for four abducted Bihar cops

PATNA – Time is running out for the four Bihar policemen abducted by Maoists as the rebels’ deadline for releasing their eight jailed commanders expires around 4 p.m. Wednesday, failing which they would kill all the captives.

Maoists abducted the policemen during the six-hour-long gunfight in Lakhisarai district Sunday. The gun battle left seven policemen …. Source  : Time is running out for four abducted Bihar cops.

Two kidnapped Assam businessmen rescued after three days

GUWAHATI – Two businessmen kidnapped at gunpoint over the weekend from Assam’s main city Guwahati were rescued by security forces early Wednesday, officials said.

A police spokesperson said Bishnu Kedia and Sanjay Agarwal, both abducted Sunday, were rescued from Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati.
“Due to intense security operations, the kidnappers probably felt the heat … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Two kidnapped Assam businessmen rescued after three days.

President visits flood-affected Leh

JAMMU – President Pratibha Patil Wednesday arrived in the flood-ravaged Leh town of Jammu and Kashmir to review and assess the rescue and relief operations there.

Patil, who was received at the Leh airport by Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was briefed by the Indian Army and Air Force officers on the operations … Read more »»».

Hurricane Earl bears down on East Coast, bringing evacuations and canceled holiday plans

NC vacation island to be cleared as Earl nears

RALEIGH, N.C. – Tourists on a North Carolina vacation destination island were ordered to board the ferries and head for the mainland Wednesday and more evacuations could be on the way as powerful Hurricane Earl threatened to sideswipe the East Coast.
Hyde County emergency officials said the evacuation … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Hurricane Earl bears down on East Coast, bringing evacuations and canceled holiday plans.

Woman kills sons, calls it ‘act of love’

MELBOURNE – A woman in Melbourne was Wednesday jailed for 27 years for killing her two minor sons in what she termed as her “greatest act of love”.

Qualified nurse Donna Fitchett, 51, drugged, strangled and smothered her two sons — Thomas, 11, and Matthew, nine — at their home on Sep 6, 2005.
She … Read more »»».

Man mowed down by Blueline bus in Delhi

NEW DELHI – A 20-year-old, who was on his way to office, was Wednesday run over by the Blueline bus he was trying to board in north Delhi, police said.

The incident took place in the Mall Road area of north Delhi around 9 a.m. when the victim, Sandeep, was trying to step into the bus …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Two foreigners booked for duping job seeker in Punjab

AMRITSAR – Two men, allegedly based in Britain, have been booked on charges of duping a job applicant here of nearly Rs.1.5 lakh, police said Wednesday.

“A case of cheating has been registered against Mark Sandwill and Daniel Frog. We are trying to ascertain whether the two men were residents of Britain or some other country,” …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Trapped Chilean miner had premonition of disaster

LONDON – A teenaged miner — among the youngest of the 33 people trapped in a mine in Chile since Aug 5 — had a premonition that there would be a disaster, his girlfriend has said.

Jimmy Sanchez, 19, had noticed rock falls as he worked 2,300 feet below the ground at the San Jose gold … Read : Trapped Chilean miner had premonition of disaster.

Kids fall through window while jumping on bed

SYDNEY – Two minor girls – aged four and five – fell out of a first-floor window while jumping on a bed kept adjacent to it in Sydney.

The four-year-old girl is in an induced coma after she hit her head, but broke the fall of her five-year-old friend who landed on top of her and … Read : Kids fall through window while jumping on bed.

Two held with cocaine of over Rs.1 crore

LUCKNOW – Two drug peddlers have been arrested with cocaine of over Rs.1 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district, police said Wednesday.

The two men, in their early 20s, were nabbed late Tuesday from Chaubeypur area, some 80 km from here.
“The two motorcycle-borne men were arrested while they were on their way to hand over …. Source article  : Two held with cocaine of over Rs.1 crore.

Ajay Devgn fined for smoking in public in Goa

PANAJI – Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has been fined Rs.100 for smoking in the courtyard of a multiplex in Panaji, police said Wednesday.

“The notice will be issued today (Wednesday). We are acting on a complaint filed by the state health department (Directorate of Health Services, DHS),” Deputy Superintendent of Police Deu Benaulikar told IANS. … Read : Ajay Devgn fined for smoking in public in Goa.

Man kills six because of pact with ‘Saint Death’

Buenos Aires, Sep 1 (IANS/EFE) A 22-year-old Argentine man said he killed six people because he made a pact with “Saint Death” in exchange for “protection and prosperity”, police said.

Witnesses said the unidentified suspect became a serial killer to keep the promise he made to a popular pagan saint also known as “San La Muerte”, …. Original article  : Man kills six because of pact with ‘Saint Death’.

Male sex slave ring busted in Spain

Madrid, Sep 1 (IANS/EFE) Police in Spain have busted a ring engaged in sexually exploiting men recruited from Brazil and forced to work round the clock under death threats.

A total of 64 men and a few transvestites were brought to Spain from Brazil’s Maranhao state. Some of the men, aged 22 to 29, knew they …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Parish official: BP owes back rent, oil spill command center kicked out of La. building

Official: La. oil command center to shut over rent

CHALMETTE, La. – A parish official says a Louisiana oil spill command center is shutting down over a dispute with BP over rent and other expenses
St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro says the owner of the property that has been home to the operation since May is [..] Read the original article: here.

Soaring summer temperatures in Japan hit record, part of global trend

Japan endures hottest summer on record
TOKYO – Japan is sweltering through its hottest summer on record, weather officials said Thursday.

Japan joined many parts of the Northern Hemisphere in seeing an unusually hot summer. Meteorologists say 17 nations have recorded all-time-high temperatures this year, more than in any other year, and scientists have said that July … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Soaring summer temperatures in Japan hit record, part of global trend.

Canadian woman judge in inter-racial porn scandal

TORONTO – In a shocking sex scandal that has hit the Canadian judiciary, a black man is suing a white lawyer for harassing him to have sex with the lawyer’s wife who herself is now a senior judge.

In his $67-million lawsuit Wednesday, Alexander Chapman, a 44-year-old black man who is a computer specialist by profession, …. Original source  : Canadian woman judge in inter-racial porn scandal.

Maoists to call people’s court, Bihar cops’ families in despair

PATNA – As a second deadline expired Thursday, Maoists said the fate of four Bihar policemen held captive by them would now be decided by a ‘jan adalat’ or kangaroo court. The families of the cops are desperately pleading with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for help.

Maoist spokesperson Avinash called up local TV channels and said … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Maoists to call people’s court, Bihar cops’ families in despair.

2 US troops killed in insurgent attacks in eastern Afghanistan; Taliban commander killed

2 American troops killed in Afghan attacks

KABUL, Afghanistan – Two American troops died in fighting in Afghanistan on Thursday, while NATO said it had killed the leader of an insurgent cell responsible for laying roadside bombs and smuggling foreign fighters into the country.
NATO said one service member was killed in the country’s east, the other … Read more : 2 US troops killed in insurgent attacks in eastern Afghanistan; Taliban commander killed.

Hostage-taker at Discovery Channel headquarters railed against programs; shot dead by police

Discovery Channel hostage-taker hated programming

SILVER SPRING, Md. – A gunman police shot to death after he took hostages at Discovery Channel’s headquarters said he hated the company’s shows such as “Kate Plus 8″ because they promote population growth and its environmental programming because it did little to save the planet.
Three hostages – two Discovery Communications …. Source article  : Hostage-taker at Discovery Channel headquarters railed against programs; shot dead by police.

Evacuations ordered, but some just hunker down as Hurricane Earl bears down on East Coast

Some bunker down, some flee as Earl approaches US
BUXTON, N.C. – Tourists were largely gone from North Carolina’s Outer Banks, but those resolute residents who stayed behind say they were prepared Thursday to potentially face down the most powerful hurricane to threaten the coast in years.
Hurricane Earl with winds swirling at around 140 …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Evacuations ordered, but some just hunker down as Hurricane Earl bears down on East Coast.

Removal of temporary cap on Gulf well not risk-free; US says potential for oil leakage is low

Risks remain with Gulf well cap coming off

NEW ORLEANS – The image of thick crude gushing from a blown-out oil well a mile beneath the Gulf of Mexico was turned off when a tightly fitting cap was secured on top a month-and-a-half ago.
Engineers weren’t expecting that sight again Thursday when they planned to delicately remove … Original source on Gaea Times at : Removal of temporary cap on Gulf well not risk-free; US says potential for oil leakage is low.

Google cleared of spying in New Zealand

AUCKLAND – Internet giant Google has been cleared of gathering personal wireless internet data during its street view operation in New Zealand.

New Zealand police Thursday said they have found no evidence that Google committed a criminal offence, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Police have, however, referred the matter back to the Privacy Commission, which in …. Source article  : Google cleared of spying in New Zealand.

Typhoon Kompasu hits South Korea

SEOUL – Typhoon Kompasu made landfall in northern South Korea early Thursday, leaving two dead and causing the worst disruption to power and transport networks in the capital for a decade, a report said.

Winds of over 100 km per hour knocked down trees and utility poles and blew out windows across Seoul, as the centre …. Original article  : Typhoon Kompasu hits South Korea.

1 American servicemember killed in insurgent attack Thursday in eastern Afghanistan

1 American servicemember killed in Afghan attack

KABUL, Afghanistan – An American servicemember died in fighting in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, while the coalition said it had killed the leader of an insurgent cell responsible for laying roadside bombs and smuggling foreign fighters into the country.
No other details of the servicemember’s death were given in keeping …. Source  : 1 American servicemember killed in insurgent attack Thursday in eastern Afghanistan.

Southern China landslide kills 4, leaves 44 missing as death toll from floods rises to 3,185

South China landslide kills 4, leaves 44 missing

BEIJING – Rescuers were searching for 44 people missing Thursday after a landslide hit a village in southern China and killed at least four people.
Workers rescued 23 people buried under rubble in Wama village in the southwestern province of Yunnan after the rain-triggered landslide hit Wednesday night, the … Read more »».

Flight data recorders recovered from Nepal plane crash that killed all 14 on board

Black box recovered from Nepal plane crash site

KATMANDU, Nepal – Nepalese investigators have found the flight data recorders from the wreckage of a small plane that crashed last week en route to the Mount Everest area, killing 14 people including six foreigners, officials said Thursday.
Suresh Acharya, a spokesman for the government-appointed investigation team, said searchers … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Flight data recorders recovered from Nepal plane crash that killed all 14 on board.

Australian man jailed for upskirt photography

MELBOURNE – A 42-year-old man’s “moment of madness”, which made him photograph under a woman’s skirt using his mobile phone at a Melbourne store, has led him to prison.

A county court heard Thursday that Anthony Maguire had run after the woman as she boarded an escalator in the Southland Shopping Centre. He positioned his phone …. Source  : Australian man jailed for upskirt photography.

Typhoon slams into South Korea, killing 3 and delaying flights and suspending subway service

Typhoon suspends SKorean flights, subway, kills 3

SEOUL, South Korea – Typhoon Kompasu struck South Korea early Thursday, killing three people while it knocked over streetlights and scaffolding in what was called the strongest tropical storm to hit the Seoul area in 15 years.
Powerful gusts knocked over power lines, cutting off power to tens of thousands … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Typhoon slams into South Korea, killing 3 and delaying flights and suspending subway service.

Communal clash during Janmashtami function, eight injured

RANCHI – Eight people, including two policemen, were injured in a communal clash at a function organised for Janmashtami here, police said Thursday.

The clash took place at Hindpiri colony late Wednesday over loudspeakers being used on the occasion of Janmashtami – the birth of the Hindu god Krishna. Some Muslims opposed the loudspeaker being used … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Communal clash during Janmashtami function, eight injured.

US hostage taker said he had bombs strapped to body

WASHINGTON – An armed man shot and killed by police after a tense four-hour standoff at the Discovery Channel’s headquarters told a TV channel he had several bombs strapped to his body “ready to go off.”

The gunman who had taken three hostages Wednesday in the Discovery building in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : US hostage taker said he had bombs strapped to body.

Woman stabs father, kills self

Moscow, Sep 2 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A woman fatally stabbed her father and then jumped to her death from their sixth-storey apartment in Moscow after he refused to visit her grandfather’s grave.

The 31-year-old woman, who also shared the house with her younger brother, had gone out after the row and returned home drunk, the Moskovsky Komsomolets [..] Read the original article: here.

Over 2,000 killed in Mexican border city in 2010

Ciudad Juarez (Mexico), Sep 2 (IANS/EFE) Over 2,000 people were killed in gang wars

in 2010 in Mexico’s “murder capital” of Ciudad Juarez on the border with the US, reveal official figures.
A total of 2,027 murders have been committed in 2010 in Ciudad Juarez, located across the border from El Paso, Texas.
August was the … Read more »»».

Arrest reported after search for armed suspect disrupts commuter traffic in Everett, Wash.

Arrest made after manhunt shuts down Wash. freeway

EVERETT, Wash. – A sheriff’s spokeswoman in Washington state says tips from the public helped authorities make an arrest following a search for an armed suspect Wednesday that shut down a busy freeway and disrupted commuter traffic.
When traffic in Interstate 5’s northbound lanes in the Everett area began … Original article on : Arrest reported after search for armed suspect disrupts commuter traffic in Everett, Wash..

Pakistani militants back in business, killing 35 in triple bombing despite flood chaos

Pakistan militants kill 35 despite floods
LAHORE, Pakistan – The triple bombing of a religious procession in Pakistan adds to the strains on a government already struggling with devastating floods and shows that Islamist militants are back in business despite the natural disaster.

The death toll in the blasts rose to 35 on Thursday, with about 250 … Read more : Pakistani militants back in business, killing 35 in triple bombing despite flood chaos.

Abducted Assam cement firm executive escapes in Shillong

GUWAHATI – The kidnapped executive of a cement company made a dramatic appearance in Meghalaya capital Shillong eight hours after he was abducted at gunpoint from near Assam’s main city of Guwahati, police said Friday.

A police spokesperson said Narendra Nimodia, director of Star Cement, a local brand in Assam, jumped out of the car taking …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Mumbai ACP’s son, daughter-in-law shoot themselves

MUMBAI – The son and daughter-in-law of a high-ranking Mumbai police officer allegedly committed suicide by shooting themselves here early Friday, police said.

“The blood-spattered bodies of Abhijit Kurane (28) and his wife Ashwini (21) were found this morning in their bedroom,” Additional Police Commissioner Ramrao Pawar told mediapersons from the site of the tragedy in … Read more >>.

Wikileaks founder admits having sex with accuser

LONDON – Julian Assange, founder of whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, has admitted he had sexual relations with one of two Swedish women who have accused him of sex crimes.

Assange said he had consensual sex more than once with a woman who has accused him of molestation, the Daily Telegraph reported Friday.
“I say the same thing … Read more : Wikileaks founder admits having sex with accuser.

Mistaken alcohol use kills baby during surgery

NEW YORK – A seven-month-old baby died after doctors at a hospital in the US flushed his system with alcohol instead of saline solution during a heart surgery.

The incident, termed as a terrible mistake, occurred while Tressel Meinardi underwent heart surgery at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio Aug 21, the Herald Sun … Original article on : Mistaken alcohol use kills baby during surgery.

Another ISI agent held in Tripura

AGARTALA – An agent of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh border in west Tripura, police said here Friday.

BSF troopers detained ISI agent Nayeem Ahmed Mamoon, 22, from Lankamura border on the outskirts of Agartala Thursday night while he was crossing the border …. Read the original article  : Another ISI agent held in Tripura.

Tar balls, robberies mar Goa’s beach parties

PANAJI – The run-up to Goa’s tourism season, beginning next month, could not have got off to a worse start.

With slimy tar balls resulting from an oil spill leaving oily scars across beaches over the last few days, several robberies have created fear psychosis among tourists.
A Pune-based tourist couple was robbed at … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Tar balls, robberies mar Goa’s beach parties.

Suicide bomber hits Tajik police office; 25 injured

Suicide blast at Tajik police office injures 25

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan – A suicide car bomb blast on Friday tore through police offices in Tajikistan’s second-largest city, injuring 25 people, local officials said.
Tajikistan’s Deputy Interior Minister Sharif Nazarov told The Associated Press the car filled with explosives hit the offices of the police organized-crime division in Khujand … Read more : Suicide bomber hits Tajik police office; 25 injured.

Earl causes NC road closing, power outages as hurricane rain and wind reaches into Virginia

Earl’s gusts, rains lash Outer Banks, reach VA

BUXTON, N.C. – Hurricane Earl’s powerful gusts and driving rains are churning over the Outer Banks of North Carolina and starting to be felt in southeastern Virginia.
National Weather Service meterologist Jeremy Schulz said early Friday morning that rain bands stretched about 140 miles inland in North Carolina and [..] Read the original article: here.

Hurricane Earl scoots past NC’s Outer Banks; Nantucket and Cape Cod could get the brunt next

Earl weakens but still powerful as it scoots by NC

BUXTON, N.C. – Hurricane Earl churned past the North Carolina Outer Banks and its powerful gusts and driving rains were starting to be felt in southeastern Virginia early Friday, the beginning of at least 24 hours of stormy, windy weather along the East Coast.
Residents and officials …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

The great grandmom who fought a mugger

LONDON – A great grandmother in Britain became so angry when she got mugged that she pinned the man against a wall and demanded that he return her purse. “I’m no spring chicken,” she declared later.

Marion Walter, 77, fought back when the mugger attempted to snatch her purse from the back seat of her …. Original source  : The great grandmom who fought a mugger.

Australian ex-cop jailed for pushing wife off cliff

SYDNEY – A former police officer in Australia who murdered his wife by pushing her off a cliff was Friday jailed for 33 years.

Des Campbell, 52, who murdered his wife Janet, 49, by pushing her off a cliff, had married her only for her money, the prosecutor told the Supreme Court, adding that Janet had …. Original source  : Australian ex-cop jailed for pushing wife off cliff.

TSA: 1 in custody after suspicious item found in luggage at Miami airport, concourses closed

1 in custody at Miami airport; 4 concourses shut

MIAMI – Federal officials say a passenger has been taken into custody after screeners detected something suspicious in a checked bag at Miami International Airport.
A statement by the Transportation Security Administration says its investigators, a Miami-Dade police bomb squad and other law enforcement agencies were on the [..] Read the original article: here.

Bomb targeting police vehicle kills 1 officer, wounds 3 in northwest Pakistan

Bomb kills 1 police officer, wounds 3 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Police say a roadside bomb has killed a police officer and wounded three others in northwest Pakistan.
Police official Shafiullah Khan said the bomb was detonated by remote control Friday as officers patrolled in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where floods have affected …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Bomb targeting police vehicle kills 1 officer, wounds 3 in northwest Pakistan.

All 13 crew members rescued from Gulf oil platform fire in chaos different from BP spill

Latest Gulf oil rig problem differs from BP spill
NEW ORLEANS – Stark differences exist between the oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico and the blast that led to the massive BP spill. Mostly notably, no one was killed and no crude was gushing into the water, but the distinctions don’t end …. Read the original article  : All 13 crew members rescued from Gulf oil platform fire in chaos different from BP spill.

Oil Rig Explosion Off The Louisiana Coast

NEW ORLEANS (GaeaTimes.com)- On Thursday an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana caught fire and triggered fear of a repetition of the British Petroleum’s Deep Horizon oil spill that had jeopardized the marine life and the lives of thousands of coastal area residents. Coincidentally the blast took place at about 200 miles west …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Oil Rig Explosion Off The Louisiana Coast.

4 killed in latest wave of forest fires in Russia

4 killed in Russian forest fires
MOSCOW – Russia’s emergencies ministry says forest fires in the country’s south have killed four people.

Forest fires plagued much of Russia during this summer’s unusual wave of withering heat and drought and cloaked Moscow in a pall of smoke in August have largely died down amid strong rains, but the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Three cops suspended for assaulting their woman officer

LUCKNOW – Three traffic constables have been suspended in Uttar Pradesh for assaulting a woman police officer and dragging her over a distance while fleeing in their car after she caught them extorting money, police said Friday.

The three constables, who are yet to be arrested, roughed up Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Kalpana Saxena late …. Source article  : Three cops suspended for assaulting their woman officer.

When the Indus became a river of sorrow (Floods in Pakistan – I)

That the Indus will become the ‘Yellow river of sorrow’ for Pakistan and wreak havoc and destruction more unbearable than suicide bombings was inconceivable until the angry waters came flooding in in the early hours of July 29, 2010.

In the holy month of Ramadan fasting, over 30 million Pakistanis running helter skelter for food, water …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Three contract killers arrested in Raipur

RAIPUR – Police in Raipur have arrested three contract killers, among them a 15-year-old boy, from here, police said Friday.

Three people, who were paid to kill a cable businessman Sandeep Singh, were arrested Thursday night with arms, said Ajatshatru Bahadur Singh, additional superintendent of police (crime) of Raipur.
Two of the arrested … Read more »»».

Drunk driver takes wrong turn – ends up in police car park

LONDON – A drunk motorist in Britain was nabbed by police after he took a wrong turn and went straight into the car park of the police headquarters.

Edward Gallagher lost his bearing while driving back home from a night out with friends last month. He was spotted on a private road leading to the Central … Original source on Gaea Times at : Drunk driver takes wrong turn – ends up in police car park.

11 hurt as school van catches fire in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – At least 11 students received burn injuries Saturday when a school van carrying them burst into flames following a gas leak from its LPG tank in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district, police said.

All the 11 students of a private school, who are in the age group of 8-13 years, are being treated in the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 11 hurt as school van catches fire in Uttar Pradesh.

Jayalalithaa flays police inaction over hotel attack

CHENNAI – Opposition leader and AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa Saturday launched a scathing attack on the state police for failing to take action against those involved in an attack on a star hotel here late Tuesday.

A mob of nearly a hundred people, who claimed to be supporters of a senior official of the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Jayalalithaa flays police inaction over hotel attack.

Death toll rises to 65 in attack on Shiite procession in Pakistan; schools closed in mourning

Death toll rises to 65 in attack on Pakistanis

QUETTA, Pakistan – The death toll from a Pakistani Taliban suicide attack on a Shiite Muslim procession rose from 43 to 65 overnight as critically wounded people died in hospitals, police said Saturday.
About 150 people were wounded and some remained in critical condition after the bombing Friday … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Death toll rises to 65 in attack on Shiite procession in Pakistan; schools closed in mourning.

New Zealand quake survivors feel lucky to be alive

AUCKLAND – Survivors of a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck New Zealand Saturday said they feel lucky to be alive.

A survivor said: “I’ll have a story for the rest of my life to tell.”
A state of emergency was declared after Christchurch, the biggest city in New Zealand’s South Island, was damaged by the …. Source article  : New Zealand quake survivors feel lucky to be alive.

Trapped miners get dirty jokes to lift their spirit!

LONDON – Messages that are being sent down to the trapped miners in Chile include a “dirty joke of the day”.

The miners have been trapped since Aug 5 when a tunnel collapsed at the mine, located about 700 km north of Chilean capital Santiago. Thirtythree miners face up to four months in isolation as engineers … Read more »»».

BP carefully raises blowout preventer, key evidence in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill

BP raises blowout preventer, key evidence in probe

NEW ORLEANS – BP PLC was on Saturday slowly raising the 300-ton blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, careful not to damage or drop a key piece of evidence in the spill investigation.
When the blowout preventer reaches the surface after [..] Read the original article: here.

School van catches fire, 11 injured in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – At least 11 schoolchildren received burn injuries when their van caught fire in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district Saturday, officials said.

All the students, who are in the age group of 8-13 years, are being treated in the Azamgarh district hospital. Doctors said the condition of three is critical.
According to police, the accident took … Read more : School van catches fire, 11 injured in Uttar Pradesh.

Hindu groups call bandh to protest priests’ killing

NAGPUR – Hindu groups Saturday called for a bandh in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra to protest the killings of two temple priests.

Calling for a district bandh, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal alleged that the murderers were criminals staying in the temple. The two priests and a security guard of the Mahadev … Read more »».

9 killed after skydiving plane bursts into flames, crashes on New Zealand’s South Island

9 killed in New Zealand skydiving plane crash

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A light aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in flames Saturday near a popular tourist spot in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, killing nine people including four foreign tourists, police said.
The plane caught fire after takeoff from an airstrip at Fox Glacier on the country’s South Island, …. Original source  : 9 killed after skydiving plane bursts into flames, crashes on New Zealand’s South Island.

Gandhi’s grandson pitches in for Pakistan flood aid

UNITED NATIONS – Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, has asked people for more help in flood relief efforts in Pakistan, saying humanitarian needs should transcend international rift.

“Let us praise and honour the stoic bravery of the victims of Pakistan’s floods,” Gandhi said.
The floods in Pakistan have affected over 18 million people. The UN … Read more »»».

Punjab woman held for duping men with job offers abroad

JALANDHAR – Jalandhar police have arrested a 25-year-old woman here for duping three young men of nearly Rs.32 lakh on the pretext of sending them to Portugal for employment, police said Saturday.

The woman has been identified as Nisha Gogna, whose father is settled in Portugal for the past many years. Police have also booked Nisha’s … Read : Punjab woman held for duping men with job offers abroad.

Hurricane Earl Update: Outer Bank Receives Flood

MIAMI (GaeaTimes.com)- On Friday night the much anticipated Hurricane Earl lashed at Cap Cod’s fishing villages with a force lesser than what was being anticipated. Although at the beginning of the week, Hurricane Earl gained speed and meteorologists predicted that it might escalate to the category 4 storm when it strikes the northeast coast … Read : Hurricane Earl Update: Outer Bank Receives Flood.

New Zealand Earthquake Causes Widespread Destruction

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (GaeaTimes.com)- New Zealand was hit a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on the wee hours of Saturday morning. The earthquake which rocked the city of Christchurch which resulted in buildings across crumbling down while the water and sewage connections were disrupted. The extent of the damage was not limited to only this as … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : New Zealand Earthquake Causes Widespread Destruction.

11-year-old boy mauled by sea lion in front of horrified visitors at popular Australian zoo

Sea lion mauls 11-year-old boy at Australian zoo

SYDNEY – An 11-year-old boy was recovering Saturday after a sea lion mauled him at a popular Sydney zoo’s aquarium show as horrified visitors looked on.
The boy, identified by his stepmother as Jack Lister, had been invited by zookeepers to meet the 8-year-old female sea lion during the … Original article on : 11-year-old boy mauled by sea lion in front of horrified visitors at popular Australian zoo.

Terrorists rushed in where leaders feared to tread (Floods in Pakistan -II)

With the vacuum in the Pakistani leadership visible right from the onset of the flood tragedy, foot-soldiers of extremist organisations have rushed in where President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif are reluctant to tread.

The unprecedented flood calamity has handed out Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s (JuD) dipping stock a much-needed lifeline and an … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Terrorists rushed in where leaders feared to tread (Floods in Pakistan -II).

Three killed in Delhi road accidents

NEW DELHI – Three people, including a woman, were killed in separate road accidents in Delhi, police said Saturday.

The woman was killed while her husband was critically injured after their car rammed into a stationary truck loaded with iron rods around 4 a.m. Saturday in Maurya Enclave in north Delhi.
“The couple was going to …. Source article  : Three killed in Delhi road accidents.

The biggest fireball I ever saw: Dubai crash witness

DUBAI – “The biggest fireball ever seen” and a “massive 20-storey tower of smoke and flames” was how witnesses described the crash of a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane in Dubai, in which two crew members were killed.

The United Parcel Service (UPS) Flight 6 took off from Dubai International Airport Friday night for the company’s hub …. Original source  : The biggest fireball I ever saw: Dubai crash witness.

Italian found dead in Varanasi guesthouse

LUCKNOW – An Italian tourist was found dead in a guesthouse in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi district, police said Saturday.

The body of Romano Antonio, 40, was found Friday night inside the waiting room of the Tripathi Guesthouse in Bhelupur area of Varanasi, some 300 km from Lucknow.
“The reason of the death is yet to be …. Original article  : Italian found dead in Varanasi guesthouse.

Bosnian Serb leader’s trial set to resume

The Hague, Sep 4 (IANS/AKI) The landmark trial of wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic will resume Monday at the UN’s Yugoslav war crimes court in the Hague after a brief recess.

Karadzic has been charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and the trial could last four years, the UN tribunal said … Read more : Bosnian Serb leader’s trial set to resume.

9 people die after skydiving plane bursts into flame, crashes on New Zealand’s South Island

New Zealand skydiving plane crashes; 9 die

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Nine people died when a light aircraft belonging to a skydiving company crashed and burst into flames Saturday near a popular tourist spot in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, police said.
The plane caught fire shortly after takeoff from an airstrip at Fox Glacier on the country’s …. Source article  : 9 people die after skydiving plane bursts into flame, crashes on New Zealand’s South Island.

Probe finds UPS cargo plane had smoke in cockpit, trouble holding altitude before Dubai crash

UAE: UPS 747 had smoke in cockpit before crash

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Emirati investigators say a UPS cargo plane that crashed in Dubai shortly after takeoff Friday had smoke in the cockpit and was struggling to maintain altitude before the accident.
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said in a preliminary report Sunday the Boeing …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Probe finds UPS cargo plane had smoke in cockpit, trouble holding altitude before Dubai crash.

Telangana students ransack exam centre at Osmania

HYDERABAD – Students protesting the conduct of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) exam ransacked an exam centre at the Osmania University campus here Sunday, leaving three injured.

Tension prevailed at the B.Ed college as protesters broke the security cordon and barged into the exam centre. Some students writing the test came out with question …. Original article  : Telangana students ransack exam centre at Osmania.

Mother who killed kids to elope arrested

JIND – A 35-year-old woman in Haryana who killed her two minor children to elope with her 20-year-old lover has been arrested, police said Sunday.

Police also arrested Kulwanti Devi alias Babli’s lover Ram Meher, also a resident of Julhera village and a cousin of the woman’s husband, Dharamvir Singh.
Police said the couple boarded a …. Original source  : Mother who killed kids to elope arrested.

Nine die in Bengal accident

KOLKATA – At least nine people were killed and six injured Sunday when a truck collided with a smaller vehicle in West Bengal’s Malda district Sunday. All the injured are in critical condition.

The victims were passengers in the smaller vehicle, known locally as trekker.
“Seven people died on the spot. One died in hospital,” Malda … Read more »»».

5 soldiers killed, 40 wounded, in suicide car-bomb attack on Russian base in Dagestan

5 killed in suicide attack on Russian base

MAKHACHKALA, Russia – A suicide car-bomber killed five soldiers and wounded 40 others in an attack on a military base in Russia’s violence-plagued republic of Dagestan on Sunday, officials said.
The attack took place about 1 a.m. (2100 GMT Saturday) at the base in the city of Buinaksk, said …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : 5 soldiers killed, 40 wounded, in suicide car-bomb attack on Russian base in Dagestan.

Two Germans held for taking dead relative on plane

LONDON – Two German women were caught trying to wheel in the corpse of a relative on board an aircraft in Britain. The airport authorities got suspicious about the inert figure, face hidden behind sunglasses, on the wheelchair and decided to check the pulse, officials said.

Gitta Jarant, 66, and her daughter Anke Anusic, 41, were …. Read the original article  : Two Germans held for taking dead relative on plane.

New Zealand investigators hope to find why skydiving plane crashed, killing 9

NZ probes skydiving plane crash that killed 9

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Investigators expressed confidence Sunday that they will learn why an airplane carrying skydivers crashed in flames near a popular tourist spot in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, killing four Europeans and five New Zealanders.
Six investigators from New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission were traveling to …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

5,000 evacuated in Mexico due to heavy rains

Mexico City, Sep 5 (IANS/EFE) Over 5,000 people have been evacuated in Mexico’s southern state of Tabasco as torrential rains caused two rivers to overflow their banks.

“The situation is very critical,” Tabasco state Governor Andres Granier said Saturday.
Three years ago, in 2007, the state had seen heavy flooding that displaced around one million people. … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 5,000 evacuated in Mexico due to heavy rains.

Grateful for no deaths, New Zealand cleaning up after quake that ripped open new fault line

NZ cleans up after quake that tore new fault line

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – The powerful earthquake that smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted rail lines around the New Zealand city of Christchurch also ripped a new 11-foot (3.5 meter) wide fault line in the earth’s surface, a geologist said Sunday.
At least 500 buildings, including 90 …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Eight buried alive as mudslide hits bus

Guatemala City, Sep 5 (IANS/EFE) A passenger bus was buried in a mudslide triggered by torrential rains in Guatemala, killing at least eight people and injuring 25.

“It has been pretty difficult to recover the victims because of the tonnes of mud that fell on the bus,” a spokesperson for the volunteer firefighters said Saturday.
Witnesses …. Original source  : Eight buried alive as mudslide hits bus.

Failed blowout preventer, a key piece of evidence in Gulf oil spill probe, secured on boat

Key oil spill evidence secured on boat in the Gulf

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO – A key piece of evidence in the oil spill probe has been safely secured on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, and investigators are getting their first chance to personally look at the device up close.
The blowout preventer was …. Read the original article  : here.

Brock Mealer, brother of Michigan lineman, amazingly leads Wolverines on field

Brother of Michigan player takes an amazing walk

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Doctors told Brock Mealer he would be in a wheelchair the rest of his life.
On Saturday, he led the Michigan Wolverines on the field.
“This is the start of a new chapter,” he said. “The next chapter is to getting rid of one cane, and …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Skydiving plane crashes near New Zealand glacier, killing 4 European tourists, 5 NZealanders

Skydiving plane crashes near NZ glacier, killing 9

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A plane carrying skydivers crashed in flames near a popular glacier in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, killing five New Zealanders and four European tourists, police said.
The plane caught fire after takeoff Saturday from an airstrip near Fox Glacier township on South Island, said Ian … Original article on : Skydiving plane crashes near New Zealand glacier, killing 4 European tourists, 5 NZealanders.

2 babies killed, woman critical after gas tanker, vehicles collide on Phoenix freeway

2 babies killed after semi hits vehicles in Ariz.

PHOENIX – Two babies have been killed in a three-vehicle collision involving a gas tanker in Phoenix.
An Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman says a car slowed on Interstate 10 on Saturday afternoon to look at a minor collision and cut off a minivan, which braked to [..] Read the original article: here.

Powerful 7.1 earthquake smashes buildings, rips open new fault, but no deaths reported

N. Zealand quake smashes buildings, rips new fault

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – The powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake that smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted rail lines around a New Zealand city also ripped a new 11-foot- (3.5 meter-) wide fault in the earth’s surface, officials said Sunday.
At least 500 buildings, including 90 properties in downtown Christchurch, have … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Powerful 7.1 earthquake smashes buildings, rips open new fault, but no deaths reported.

Failed blowout preventer, a key piece of evidence in Gulf oil spill probe, raised to surface

Key oil spill evidence raised to Gulf’s surface

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO – Investigators looking into what went wrong in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are a step closer to answers now that a key piece evidence is secure aboard a ship.
Engineers took 29?? hours to lift the 50-foot, 300-ton blowout preventer from a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

NYC sanitation pier, trash-filled trailers catch fire, spew smoke, but no injuries reported

NYC sanitation pier, trash trailers catch fire

NEW YORK – The New York City Fire Department says a Manhattan sanitation pier that was the site of a smoky fire will need to be checked for stability.
The pier and trash-filled trailers began burning Saturday afternoon and drew more than 130 firefighters. The Fire Department says the blaze …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : NYC sanitation pier, trash-filled trailers catch fire, spew smoke, but no injuries reported.

UPS identifies men from Kentucky, Florida as 2 crew members killed in Dubai cargo plane crash

UPS identifies American crew killed in Dubai crash

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Crew members from Kentucky and Florida were identified Saturday as the two people killed when a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff outside Dubai.
The crash Friday killed Captain Doug Lampe of Louisville, Ky., 48, and First Officer Matthew Bell, 38, of Sanford, Fla., the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : UPS identifies men from Kentucky, Florida as 2 crew members killed in Dubai cargo plane crash.

Uruguayans who survived 72 days in snow-covered mountains tell Chilean miners’ kin: Be strong

‘Alive’ survivors to Chilean mining kin: Be strong

SAN JOSE MINE, Chile – Former rugby players from Uruguay who survived more than two months of isolation in the snow-covered Andes met on Saturday with some of the relatives of 33 trapped miners and urged them to stay strong.
“They will be out soon,” said Jose Inciarte, one …. Source article  : Uruguayans who survived 72 days in snow-covered mountains tell Chilean miners’ kin: Be strong.

Robbers set clothing store ablaze, 6 people killed in normally peaceful Barbados

Robbers burn clothing store, 6 die in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Robbers set a clothing store ablaze, killing at least six people in the normally peaceful capital of Barbados, police said Saturday.
Two men burst into a clothing store in downtown Bridgetown and demanded money before setting the building on fire Friday evening, police spokesman David Welch … Read : Robbers set clothing store ablaze, 6 people killed in normally peaceful Barbados.