Breaking News – Newsletter for December 15, 2010

World’s worst nuclear accident site to become tourism hotspot

MELBOURNE – Chernobyl, an abandoned city in northern Ukraine where the world’s worst nuclear accident happened, could now become a tourism hotspot.

Ukraine’s Emergency Situations Ministry have started working on a plan to open the area around the defunct plant where …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : World’s worst nuclear accident site to become tourism hotspot.

Brit grad lands dream job by setting up own website to advertise talents

LONDON – A graduate in Britain has landed his dream job after he set up his own website to advertise his talents.

Kyle Clarke, 23, a Newcastle University graduate was fed-up with wading through application forms so he decided to do set up employkyle.com, which he hoped would get …. Source  : Brit grad lands dream job by setting up own website to advertise talents.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrives in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived here today on a three-day state visit.

The visit is expected to boost trade relations between India and China, the two emerging economies of the world.

He will visit the Tagore International School in Vasant Vihar here in the second half of the day, …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrives in Delhi.

South Korea holds biggest civil defence drills

SEOUL – South Korea Wednesday conducted its largest civil defence drill since these began 35 years ago after a deadly North Korean artillery attack on a South Korean island last month.

South Koreans rushed to air raid shelters and other underground facilities, such as subway stations, as air raid sirens sounded across the country, the …. Source  : South Korea holds biggest civil defence drills.

Money was behind Kashmir protests: Militant leader

JAMMU – A heavy flow of money was behind the stone-pelting protests in Kashmir last summer, according to a top militant leader who was believed to be instigating the stir in the valley.

Hardline Hurriyat leader Masarat Alam, who became an icon for protesters, has told interrogators that he spent Rs.40 lakh to organise … Read : Money was behind Kashmir protests: Militant leader.

Pakistan Army seeks $525 mn additional funds

ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Army has sought an additional Rs.45 billion (about $525 million) to meet security requirements, an official said.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s economic team, led by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, has told him about the “prevailing grave economic situation” and the challenges in bridging the ever-widening “gap between national income …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

North Korea ready for six-party talks: China

BEIJING – China has claimed gaining North Korea’s support for easing regional tensions and attending emergency six-party talks on Korean Peninsula’s nuclear program.

According to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, who visited Pyongyang last week, reached these important agreements with the North’s top leader Kim Jong-il.

“The DPRK side has agreed with the …. Source  : North Korea ready for six-party talks: China.

US Air Force blocks media sites posting leaked ‘Wikileaks’ documents

WASHINGTON – The United States’ Air Force has reportedly blocked access on its network to over 25 media websites, which have posted secret U.S. diplomatic cables obtained and released by the whistleblower website ‘WikiLeaks’.

Fox News quoted Major Toni Tones, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Space Command, as saying that the Air Force uses two …. Source  : US Air Force blocks media sites posting leaked ‘Wikileaks’ documents.

Indian Army awaiting CBI inputs on Adarsh probe

NEW DELHI – The Indian Army said Wednesday it was waiting for inputs from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complete its probe into Mumbai’s Adarsh housing society scam in which some retired and serving officers are under the scanner for allegedly cornering flats meant for families of war heroes.

“The inquiry (into the …. Read the original article  : here.

2G scam: CBI raids Tamil NGO close to Kanimozhi

CHENNAI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday raided the office of Tamil Maiyam, an NGO in which Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s daughter and MP Kanimozhi is on the Board of Directors, in connection with the 2G scam.

CBI slueths also conducted raids at the residence of former Relecom Minister A.Raja’s brother and sister … Read more : 2G scam: CBI raids Tamil NGO close to Kanimozhi.

Indian-origin man wins $100K for being the ‘Biggest Loser’

KUALA LUMPUR – An Indian-origin man in Singapore has won 100,000 US dollars after he was crowed as the winner of ‘The Biggest Loser Asia 2′, a popular weight-loss reality TV series.

Vivega-nandam Deveraj (Raj), 24, lost 67kg from his starting weight of 144kg, making him the contestant with the highest percentage of weight loss (46.53 …. Source article  : Indian-origin man wins $100K for being the ‘Biggest Loser’.

Escort claims Shrien Dewani paid him for kinky sex sessions

LONDON – An escort has come forward to tell cops that British care home tycoon Shrien Dewani, who is suspected of having his wife murdered while honeymooning in South Africa, had paid him for kinky sex.

Dewani, 30, is suspected of hiring hitmen to kill his wife Anni, 28, and as part of the investigation cops …. Source article  : Escort claims Shrien Dewani paid him for kinky sex sessions.

HMS Ambush Set To Roll

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (GaeaTimes.com)- The UK Navy is gearing up to launch its largest ever nuclear submarine with impressive arsenal and combat capabilities. The HMS Ambush is powerful enough to hit enemy targets 1600 km away with fire guided missiles. The huge submarine comes with a powerful nuclear reactor that is capable of providing …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : HMS Ambush Set To Roll.

‘Strong action’ against Adarsh wrongdoers: Antony

NEW DELHI – Assuring strong action against those found guilty in Mumbai’s Adarsh housing scam, Defence Minister A.K. Antony Wednesday said the government was probing the scandal in which some serving and retired armed forces officers are under the scanner for alleged wrongdoing.

Antony Wednesday said nobody, including armed forces personnel, found guilty in the … Read more »».

Kiwi man and his American wife win ‘world’s best couple’ title

WELLINGTON – A New Zealand man and his American wife has won the title of the “world’s best couple”.

Auckland couple Cameron and Shariyah Morris was presented a 22-carat diamond ring worth 1 million dollars by US reality TV celebrity Kim Kardashian, in New York, reports Stuff.co.nz.

Thousands of couples from the US, Canada, Australia and New …. Read the original article  : Kiwi man and his American wife win ‘world’s best couple’ title.

TTP planning terror attacks on Muharram processions through IEDs

LAHORE – The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is reportedly planning to launch terrorist attacks by changing motorcycles into improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on Muharram-related processions and Majalis, especially in Lahore.

Sources said that the Punjab Chief Minister’s Secretariat had on December 6, sent a special report of intelligence agencies to all district police officers in the province, …. Original source  : TTP planning terror attacks on Muharram processions through IEDs.

US appoints Frank Ruggiero as new Af-Pak special envoy

WASHINGTON – Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Frank Ruggiero, has been appointed as the acting US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan following the death of Richard Holbrooke.

“He (Ruggiero) will lead the SRAP (Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan) structure that Richard Holbrooke constructed and will really serve as one of …. Source article  : US appoints Frank Ruggiero as new Af-Pak special envoy.

Bare-chested Assange named Rockstar of the Year by Italy’s Rolling Stone

LONDON – WikiLeaks boss Julian Assange has added another feather to his cap – the mastermind has been dubbed Rockstar of the Year by Italy’s Rolling Stone magazine for his rock and roll lifestyle.

The magazine cover shows Assange bare chested in front of a row of TV’s each showing his face and below is the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Bare-chested Assange named Rockstar of the Year by Italy’s Rolling Stone.

Pak links up with China’s Kashgar ahead of Premier Jiabao’s visit

KARACHI – Pakistan and China have inaugurated the first air cargo service linking Islamabad with Kashgar in China’s northwest Xinjiang province, just three days before the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to the Pakistan capital.

A Pakistan charter airline, Rayyan Air, operated the first 90-minute flight, the Asia Times web site has revealed.

The …. Original article  : Pak links up with China’s Kashgar ahead of Premier Jiabao’s visit.

US wants Pak action against Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in North Waziristan

ISLAMABAD – US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, has urged Pakistan to launch an operation to crack down on Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in North Waziristan.

“They are weakening the American-led military effort in the nine-year-old Afghanistan war against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, and they are killing Pakistani civilians as they seek to undermine the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.