Suspected Maoists damage rail tracks in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – Suspected Maoists damaged rail tracks and removed fish-plates after holding captive a railway employee in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district, police said Thursday. Movement of trains along the route was stopped.

The incident took place late Wednesday near the Churk railway station, over 250 km from here.
“Nearly 40 people held the railway employee …. Original source  : Suspected Maoists damage rail tracks in Uttar Pradesh.

Ex-Titans backup QB Chris Simms due in NYC court for hearing in drugged-driving case

Ex-Titans backup QB Chris Simms due in NYC court

NEW YORK – Free-agent quarterback Chris Simms caught a pass on his last court date, but his timeout is over.
The former Tennessee Titans backup quarterback was due in court Thursday for a hearing and possible trial in his drugged-driving case. Simms, his agents and his lawyers didn’t … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Ex-Titans backup QB Chris Simms due in NYC court for hearing in drugged-driving case.

Texas gov. tangles with Mexican government over handling of reported shooting at border lake

Texas gov. pressuring Mexico over lake shooting

AUSTIN, Texas – The search for an American tourist reportedly shot dead on a border lake has led Texas Gov. Rick Perry to tangle with the Mexican government over the investigation and efforts to recover the body.
Perry said Wednesday that Mexico needs to use every resource available to find … Read more : Texas gov. tangles with Mexican government over handling of reported shooting at border lake.

Taliban destroy over 50 NATO vehicles in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – More than 50 oil tankers carrying fuel for NATO forces in Afghanistan were destroyed in two separate Taliban attacks in Pakistan, a media report said.

Twenty-five tankers were destroyed after militants attacked a terminal Wednesday in the Akhtarabad area of Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province.
The tankers caught fire …. Source  : Taliban destroy over 50 NATO vehicles in Pakistan.

Canadian ex-commander who flew queen due in court on murder and sexual assault charges

Canada top commander to appear in court
TORONTO – A military commander charged with several counts of murder and sexual assault in a case that shocked Canadians was to appear in court in person for the first time Thursday.

Col. Russell Williams – an elite pilot who once flew Queen Elizabeth II and other dignitaries around the …. Source  : Canadian ex-commander who flew queen due in court on murder and sexual assault charges.

US shies from comment on Musharraf admission

WASHINGTON – The US has taken a hands-off approach to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s admission that his regime trained militant groups to fight India in Kashmir, saying it was an issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Asked to comment on Musharraf’s admission, State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley responded with a plain “No.”
“This is …. Source  : US shies from comment on Musharraf admission.

Priyadarshini Mattoo Case: Capital Punishment Commuted

NEW DELHI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The 1996 rape and murder case of Priyadarshini Mattoo took a new turn when the death sentence of convict Santosh Kumar Singh was commuted to life sentence by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. While explaining the decision to reduce the punishment that should be meted out to Santosh Kumar Singh, …. Original source  : Priyadarshini Mattoo Case: Capital Punishment Commuted.

Mets closer Rodriguez, accused of attacking girlfriend’s father, to appear in Queens court

K-Rod to appear in Queens court in assault case

NEW YORK – New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez is due in court to face charges that he assaulted his girlfriend’s father and then violated a restraining order stemming from the incident.
Rodriguez is accused of grabbing 53-year-old Carlos Pena after an Aug. 11 game at Citi Field … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mets closer Rodriguez, accused of attacking girlfriend’s father, to appear in Queens court.

Pakistan not doing enough to confront Taliban, says US

WASHINGTON – While claiming in public that Pakistan is working hard to crack down on militants, a private White House review suggests it is not doing nearly enough to confront the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Using unusually tough language, the report suggests that from March to June, the Pakistani military “continued to avoid military engagements …. Original source  : Pakistan not doing enough to confront Taliban, says US.

Two senior Maoists held in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR – Two senior cadres of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) were Thursday arrested in the restive Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, police said.

“The two youths in their late 20s were active in Bastar district for years. They had been involved in a few attacks in the past two years,” Superintendent of Police … Read more »».

`Devastating impact if West terror strike traced to Pakistan’

ISLAMABAD – A terror attack in the West that is traced back to Pakistan “could have devastating consequences” for the country, said an editorial in a leading Pakistani daily.

An editorial in the Dawn said US drones have been carrying out attacks in North Waziristan Agency, “the stamping ground of the Haqqani network, Al Qaeda …. Read the original article  : `Devastating impact if West terror strike traced to Pakistan’.

Sheriff’s deputies bust drug dealers at medical pot clinics in Southern California

Deputies bust drug dealers at medical pot clinics

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies have seized marijuana and conducted raids at 16 locations across Southern California.
Sheriff’s officials say 11 people were arrested on suspicion of drug dealing Wednesday but their names were not released.
Capt. Ralph Ornelas says the raids targeted a single group of … Read more »».

Family, wife of man reportedly shot on Texas-Mexico border lake visits area, lays wreath

Wife visits border lake where man reportedly shot

AUSTIN, Texas – The wife and family members of an American reportedly shot to death on a lake on the Texas-Mexico border took boats out onto the water of the U.S. side to lay a wreath for him.
Tiffany Hartley visited Falcon Lake on Wednesday for the first time …. Read the original article  : Family, wife of man reportedly shot on Texas-Mexico border lake visits area, lays wreath.

Police say Ohio man forced girlfriend to drive to health clinic at gunpoint, wanted abortion

Police: Ohioan forced girlfriend to women’s clinic

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Police say an Ohio man who wanted his pregnant girlfriend to get an abortion forced her to drive to a health clinic at gunpoint.
Columbus police say 27-year-old Dominic Holt-Reid became angry with the woman Wednesday because she refused to go through with an abortion scheduled at …. Original source  : Police say Ohio man forced girlfriend to drive to health clinic at gunpoint, wanted abortion.

Child who survived attack that killed 6 in Memphis, Tenn. testifies against uncle at trial

Memphis, Tenn. boy testifies, says uncle killed 6

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A boy who was left to die in a bathtub with a knife sticking out of his skull testified Wednesday that his uncle was the one who attacked him in a rampage that left six people dead, including his parents and two siblings.
Cecil Dotson Jr., … Original article on : Child who survived attack that killed 6 in Memphis, Tenn. testifies against uncle at trial.

NJ senator calls for federal anti-bullying legislation after student’s bridge suicide leap

NJ senator calls for anti-bully law after suicide

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Colleges should adopt a code of conduct that prohibits bullying and harassment in the wake of the suicide of a Rutgers University student whose gay sexual encounter in his dorm room was streamed online, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg said at a town meeting on …. Source  : NJ senator calls for federal anti-bullying legislation after student’s bridge suicide leap.

US apologises to Pakistan over mistaken airstrike

WASHINGTON – The US apologised Wednesday to Pakistan over a cross-border helicopter raid last month that mistakenly targeted and killed two Pakistani soldiers.

Anne Patterson, US ambassador to Pakistan, formally issued an apology to the Pakistani government, as did General David Petraeus, the head of international forces in Afghanistan, the Washington Post reported.
Their statements … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : US apologises to Pakistan over mistaken airstrike.

Police say Ohio man forced pregnant girlfriend to drive to abortion clinic at gunpoint

Police: Ohio man forced woman to abortion clinic

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Police say an Ohio man who wanted his pregnant girlfriend to get an abortion forced her to drive to a health clinic at gunpoint.
Columbus police say 27-year-old Dominic Holt-Reid became angry with the woman Wednesday because she refused to go through with an abortion scheduled …. Source article  : Police say Ohio man forced pregnant girlfriend to drive to abortion clinic at gunpoint.

Democrat’s supporter sues Vermont over refusal to release DUI video of GOP state auditor

Vt. sued over refusal to release auditor DUI video

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Vermont races for governor and state auditor are figuring into a federal lawsuit over the state’s recent refusal to release a police video of a drunken driving arrest.
A supporter of Doug Hoffer, the Democratic nominee for auditor, filed the lawsuit after the state refused …. Read the original article  : here.

SoCal man convicted of conspiring to smuggle missiles into the US

SoCal man convicted in missile smuggling case

LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man was convicted Wednesday on a conspiracy charge for attempting to arrange the smuggling of shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles from his homeland into the United States.
Yi Qing Chen, 46, of Rosemead, was found guilty of five felony counts, including drug conspiracy and conspiracy to … Read : SoCal man convicted of conspiring to smuggle missiles into the US.