Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for December 3, 2010

Russian used spam mails to sell Viagra

WASHINGTON – A 23-year-old Russian man, who has been indicted in the US for generating a third of spam emails worldwide, infected thousands of computers intending to sell counterfeit goods, including Viagra.

Oleg Y. Nikolaenko of Vidnoe, near Moscow, was arrested in Las Vegas last month and indicted for taking control of thousands of computers … Read more »»».

Karnataka IT minister resigns over land scam

BANGALORE – Karnataka IT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu Friday resigned following a police complaint against him in a multicrore land deal, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said and added that the move was meant to ensure an impartial probe into the case.

“I have accepted his resignation and forwarded it to governor (H.R. Bhardwaj) for acceptance,” … Read more : Karnataka IT minister resigns over land scam.

Northeast delegation meets Dikshit over women’s safety

NEW DELHI – A seven-member delegation of activists and lawyers from the northeast along with members of different NGOs Friday met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to discuss the issue of safety of northeastern women in the capital in the wake of the gangrape of a BPO employee from Mizoram.

Dikshit has called for …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Northeast delegation meets Dikshit over women’s safety.

Firemen battle to check Israel’s worst-ever bushfire (Third Lead)

TEL AVIV – An estimated 13,000 people had been forced to flee their homes in northern Israel Friday morning, as the worst bushfire in Israel’s history entered its second day, leaving 40 dead.

The blaze had destroyed hundreds of hectares of land and was still not under control, after breaking out before noon Thursday on …. Original source  : Firemen battle to check Israel’s worst-ever bushfire (Third Lead).

Karnataka IT minister quits over land scam

BANGALORE – Karnataka IT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu Friday resigned following a police complaint against him in a multicrore land deal, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa announced.

“I have accepted his resignation and forwarded it to governor (H.R. Bhardwaj) for acceptance,” Yeddyurappa told reporters here.
He is the fourth minister of the first Bharatiya Janata Party …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Karnataka IT minister quits over land scam.

UN calls for probe into Sri Lankan troops’ war crime video

LONDON – The UN has sought a fresh probe into alleged war crimes against Sri Lankan troops after Britain’s Channel 4 News released a video featuring soldiers executing naked men and women.

The video, which was broadcast Tuesday, shows government troops executing civilians in the last few weeks of the 26-year Sri Lanka war, which … Original source on Gaea Times at : UN calls for probe into Sri Lankan troops’ war crime video.

Youth lynched for killing village head

LUCKNOW – A Class 12 student was lynched by a mob in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district after he and his two aides shot dead a village head, police said Friday.

Three motorcycle-borne assailants, including the student Rinku Pathak, killed Umashankar Rajbhar (40) Thursday night while he was talking to some people in his Belwana village.
…. Original source  : Youth lynched for killing village head.

15 people lynched in Haiti in two weeks

Port-au-Prince, Dec 3 (IANS/EFE) Fifteen people have been lynched in the southwestern Haitian province of Grand’Anse over the past two weeks on suspicion of poisoning water supplies, media reports said Thursday.

Several people allegedly died as a result of poisoning, though their deaths were originally attributed to the cholera outbreak that has claimed more than …. Source article  : 15 people lynched in Haiti in two weeks.

Truck carrying $6.5 mn in art works stolen in Spain

Madrid, Dec 3 (IANS/EFE) A truck carrying art works valued at 5 million euros ($6.5 million) was stolen last weekend near the Spanish capital, authorities said Thursday.

Security cameras at a warehouse in Getafe filmed three hooded men breaking in to steal the truck, a police spokesperson told EFE, adding that the keys had been …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Truck carrying $6.5 mn in art works stolen in Spain.

40 dead, thousands flee raging Israeli bushfire (Second Lead)

TEL AVIV – An estimated 13,000 people were forced to flee their homes in northern Israel Thursday and early Friday, as the worst bushfire in Israel’s history raged unchecked for 14 hours, killing 40 people and devouring everything in its path.

The fire broke out shortly before noon Thursday on the Carmel hill, southeast of …. Original article  : 40 dead, thousands flee raging Israeli bushfire (Second Lead).

Car Crashes in Michiana due to Snow, 1 Dead

WATERVILET (GaeaTimes.com) — As the winter is slowly setting in, emergency responders were busy all day Wednesday after the snow caused several accidents throughout Michiana. Unfortunately, one of these accidents killed Hermelinda Vela, 56, when his husband’s car crashed on Hennessey Road in Watervliet around 3:20 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.
Police has told that Rene Vela, … Read more : Car Crashes in Michiana due to Snow, 1 Dead.

Two Dead in a I-95 Accident near Broward Boulevard

FORT LAUDERDALE (GaeaTimes.com) — According to Florida Highway patrol, two men were killed early Thursday when the pick-up truck they were in, veered off Interstate 95 and crashed into trees along roadside.
The accident took place near about 3 a.m. on the southbound side of I-95 a little south of Broward Boulevard. After the accident, …. Source article  : Two Dead in a I-95 Accident near Broward Boulevard.

Corpus Christi Officer Dies in a Tractor accident

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (GaeaTimes.com) — Joe Harrison, 51, a Corpus Christi off-duty police died when a tractor he was using flipped and started on fire. The accident took place on Wednesday afternoon, near his house at south of Robstown.
Commander Mark Schauer has commented that the tractor was being used to try to pull a … Read more »».

1 Dead, 1 Critically injured in Hattiesburg Paper plant Accident in Howard

GREEN BAY (GaeaTimes.com) — With a tragic turn of event, two people met a fatal accident this morning after falling 30 feet from scaffolding at a Howard paper plant. One of the two person suffered critical injury while other was declared dead.
According to Deputy Chief Jhon Gossage of the Brown County Sheriff’s Department, the …. Original article  : 1 Dead, 1 Critically injured in Hattiesburg Paper plant Accident in Howard.

Car hits Bicycle on 18 Miles, Cyclist found Dead

STERLING HEIGHTS (GaeaTimes.com) — In an unfortunate bicycle accident, James Anthony Sawicki, 54, was found dead on 18 mile. Police are blaming distracted driving for an accident that left a bicyclist dead Dec. 1.
Initial investigation suggests that a 20-year-old woman from Rochester Hills had reached down, between Mound and Ryan, to retrieve something from …. Read the original article  : here.

40 die in Israel fire (Lead, changing dateline)

TEL AVIV – A massive brushfire, the worst in Israel’s history, raged unchecked for more than eight hours Thursday, burning thousands of acres of land, forcing villages to evacuate, and killing up to 40 people when their bus was engulfed in flames.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the blaze as “a catastrophe, the likes of …. Original article  : 40 die in Israel fire (Lead, changing dateline).

Israel calls for help to fight blaze

JERUSALEM – Israel Thursday asked the international community to send firefighting aircraft to help put out a huge blaze in the country’s port city of Haifa that left at least 40 people dead, reports Xinhua.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Thursday urged Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Russia to send the aircraft. Israel doesn’t have one. …. Read the original article  : here.

Mentally ill man climbs up Howrah Bridge

KOLKATA – Traffic slowed to a crawl and pedestrians had a harrowing time Thursday as a mentally ill man climbed atop the Howrah Bridge here and threatened to jump into the river, police said. Firemen climbed up and forced him to come down after three hours.

Arvind Singh, 35, climbed on top of the Howrah … Original article on : Mentally ill man climbs up Howrah Bridge.

Ruchika case: School principal innocent, says church official

CHANDIGARH – The principal of the Sacred Heart School, where teenaged molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra studied but was expelled from allegedly at the behest of tainted Haryana cop S.P.S. Rathore, is innocent and no action will be taken against her, a church official said Thursday.

The assertion came even as the Central Board … Original article on : Ruchika case: School principal innocent, says church official.

Rural workers’ protest in Lucknow turns violent

LUCKNOW – A number of gram rozgar sewaks (rural employment workers) engaged in vandalism and fought pitched battles with the police as their protest to press for acceptance of their demands turned violent here Thursday.

Demanding regularisation of their services and a hike in remuneration, the workers, who provide support to gram panchayats (village council) … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Rural workers’ protest in Lucknow turns violent.