Aircraft cabin air ‘no more harmful than office air’

LONDON – A new study has revealed that an aircraft cabin is no more of a health threat to passengers than sitting in an office.

According to the research by the National Research Council, an airplane is as likely to make you sick as any other enclosed environment, such as a cinema or an underground train. …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Aircraft cabin air ‘no more harmful than office air’.

Chile miners could be rescued as early as by weekend, claims drilling company

LONDON – The 33 miners trapped underground in Chile could be rescued by Sunday, according to the drilling company, Geotec Boyles Bros.

“We expect to arrive in the gallery on Saturday if there’s no major problem with the drilling,” the Christian Science Monitor quoted Eugenio Eguiguren, executive vice president at the drilling company Geotec Boyles Bros., … Read more »»».

‘US drone attack surge in Pak connected to suspected Europe terror plot’: Haqqani

LONDON – The recent upsurge in US drone attacks in Pakistan is linked to efforts to disrupt a suspected Al-Qaeda plot to launch Mumbai-style attacks on European targets, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Hussein Haqqani, has acknowledged.

“The activity we see in North Waziristan, in terms of strikes and terms of measures to try to get … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : ‘US drone attack surge in Pak connected to suspected Europe terror plot’: Haqqani.

Yeddyurappa drops four dissident Karnataka ministers

BANGALORE – Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday dropped four dissident ministers from his Cabinet.

The dropped ministers are Venkataramanappa, Shivaraj Thangadagi, DSudhakar and P M Narendraswamy.

The provocation was the recent Cabinet reshuffle in which six new ministers were inducted, leaves several senior BJP leaders unhappy.

According to sources, several rebel BJP MLAs, including a … Original article on : Yeddyurappa drops four dissident Karnataka ministers.

25 tankers carrying NATO fuel torched, driver killed in attack on supply convoy in Pakistan

25 NATO fuel tankers attacked in Pakistan
QUETTA, Pakistan – Gunmen torched more than two dozen tankers carrying fuel to NATO troops and killed a driver Wednesday, the sixth attack on convoys taking supplies to Afghanistan since Pakistan closed a key border crossing almost a week ago.

Islamabad shut down the Torkham crossing along the fabled Khyber …. Source  : 25 tankers carrying NATO fuel torched, driver killed in attack on supply convoy in Pakistan.

Mahalaya Bonanza For Kolkata!

KOLKATA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- There is good news for the residents of Kolkata who use the underground metro rail for commuting within the city! This Mahalaya the Kolkata Metro rail starts AC ride for the commuters. After long wait the AC coaches have arrived and the results of the trial run are also satisfying say … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Mahalaya Bonanza For Kolkata!.

Saudi prince ‘kills manservant’ during gay sex session

LONDON – A Saudi prince is said to have battered his manservant to death during a gay sex session in a five star hotel in London.

The court was told that aide Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz, 32, was bitten on his cheeks, and his blood was discovered on the underpants of Prince Saud Abdulazaziz bin Nasser al [..] Read the original article: here.

5 major check-in areas at European airports were targets of Mumbai-style attacks: US official

WASHINGTON – Check-in areas in at least five major European airports were among the possible targets of a suspected Mumbai-style European terror attack plot, according to a US law enforcement official.

The Daily Mail quoted the official as saying that the terror teams might have staged commando-style attacks on pre-security areas, which are usually packed …. Source article  : 5 major check-in areas at European airports were targets of Mumbai-style attacks: US official.

Fireworks for Hanoi’s birthday bash explode, 1 reportedly killed

Fireworks explode in Vietnam
HANOI, Vietnam – A Vietnamese official says fireworks intended for Hanoi’s 1,000th birthday celebration have exploded prematurely, and state-controlled media have reported at least one death.

A local government official says the blast occurred just before noon Wednesday near My Dinh stadium, one of 29 sites in the capital where fireworks were planned … Read more »»».

As Halloween becomes big business, farmers find people love ugly, odd, warted pumpkins best

Pumpkin farmers profit with odd, ugly varieties

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After decades of trying to grow perfect, round, orange pumpkins, farmers have found many people believe nothing says Halloween like a warty, twisted gourd in a weird color.
“Anything that’s ugly or weird or unusual, it just sells like crazy,” said Randy Graham, who grows 40 pumpkin …. Source article  : As Halloween becomes big business, farmers find people love ugly, odd, warted pumpkins best.

As war enters 10th year, Obama honors Special Forces patrol leader who died in Taliban ambush

Medal of Honor to Green Beret killed in Afghan war

WASHINGTON – With the war in Afghanistan about to grind past another milestone, President Barack Obama is awarding the Medal of Honor on Wednesday to an Army Green Beret killed two winters ago when his patrol was ambushed by the Taliban.
The parents of Staff Sgt. Robert …. Original source  : As war enters 10th year, Obama honors Special Forces patrol leader who died in Taliban ambush.

Musharraf’s ‘Pak trained militants to fight in Kashmir’ statement ‘misunderstood’: Spokesman

KARACHI – Following a huge uproar over former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s candid confession that Pakistan trained underground militant groups to fight against India in Kashmir, his spokesman Fawwad Chaudhry, in a bid to do damage control, has said that the APML founder’s statement on Kashmir was misrepresented in the media, and thus widely misunderstood …. Source article  : Musharraf’s ‘Pak trained militants to fight in Kashmir’ statement ‘misunderstood’: Spokesman.

White House to go green with solar panels

LONDON – White House is all set to go green, for Barack Obama has finally agreed to install some solar panels on the presidential residence.

The solar panels are to be installed by spring 2011, and will heat water for the first family and supply some electricity.

Campaigners from the climate action group 350.org travelled to Washington … Original source on Gaea Times at : White House to go green with solar panels.

CWG Observer Committee praises Delhi’s transport system

NEW DELHI – Boosting India’s image in the global arena, the Commonwealth Games Observer Committee has lauded New Delhi’s transport system.

A team of committee experts visited the newly constructed grand bus depot near the Games Village, to inspect the working of the transportation system.

Members toured the depot and were briefed on various aspects of the [..] Read the original article: here.

Briton killed by US drone attack in Pak was ‘Islamic Army of Great Britain’ chief

ISLAMABAD – The British terror suspect, Abdul Jabbar, killed in a Pakistan drone strike in September was elected leader of an al-Qaeda group called The Islamic Army of Great Britain, according to a senior Pakistani security source.

Jabbar was reportedly a British citizen who has a British wife and was living in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

The …. Read the original article  : Briton killed by US drone attack in Pak was ‘Islamic Army of Great Britain’ chief.

US runs out of patience with Pak’s toothless military campaign against terrorists

WASHINGTON – The United States has slammed Pakistan over its campaign against terrorists, stating bluntly that its government and military have been unwilling to take action against Al Qaeda and like-minded terrorists as per their ‘political choice’, and in view of the “under-resourced military prioritising its targets”.

The latest White House assessment, which also criticizes …. Read the original article  : US runs out of patience with Pak’s toothless military campaign against terrorists.

Indian Air Force’s first C-130J Super Hercules takes to skies

MARIETTA – The first of six C-130J Super Hercules made for the Indian Air Force took to the skies for its maiden flight on Tuesday at Marietta in Georgia.

To provide the Indian armed forces new special operations capabilities using the world’s most advanced airlifter, India has purchased six stretched-fuselage C-130J-30s from the US …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

12 tankers carrying NATO fuel torched, driver killed in attack on supply convoy in Pakistan

12 NATO fuel tankers attacked in Pakistan
QUETTA, Pakistan – Gunmen torched a dozen tankers carrying fuel to NATO troops and killed a driver Wednesday, the sixth attack on convoys taking supplies to Afghanistan since Pakistan closed a key border crossing almost a week ago.

Islamabad shut down the Torkham crossing along the fabled Khyber Pass last …. Original source  : 12 tankers carrying NATO fuel torched, driver killed in attack on supply convoy in Pakistan.

US says Ahmadinejad’s upcoming visit to Lebanon is not a good idea

US: Ahmadinejad trip to Lebanon is not a good idea

BEIRUT – The U.S. has raised concerns about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Lebanon next week.
U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that Iran is undermining Lebanon’s sovereignty through its association with groups like Hezbollah.
He said U.S. Secretary of State …. Original article  : US says Ahmadinejad’s upcoming visit to Lebanon is not a good idea.

Missing Indian student in Sydney wanted to ‘test his physical ability’, claims pal

SYDNEY – One of the friends of Abhijeet Swami, a 20-year-old Indian engineering student who has been missing for almost a week in Sydney, has claimed that Swami was “not happy” and wanted to spend time in the mountains instead of studying.

“He changed in the last three weeks, he said he didn’t know what …. Source  : Gaea News Network.