Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for December 17, 2010

Raja’s predecessors too are not saints: Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI – AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa, referring to the 2G spectrum scam, said Friday that former communications minister A. Raja’s predecessors too were not saints.

She welcomed the Supreme Court decision to monitor the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the scam and enlarging the probe period.
She also reiterated that the central …. Read the original article  : Raja’s predecessors too are not saints: Jayalalithaa.

Prisoners to teach other inmates in Uttar Pradesh

MORADABAD – They are behind bars, but they are educated enough to teach. Around 100 prisoners have been shortlisted for a literacy campaign in an Uttar Pradesh jail where they will be imparting lessons to other inmates.

The campaign has been initiated in Moradabad district jail and is expected to take off in the next …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Prisoners to teach other inmates in Uttar Pradesh.

Nepal air crash probe begins, travel agent arrested

KATHMANDU – As Bhutans King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk lit 1,000 butter lamps in his throne room to mourn the 18 Bhutanese killed in an air crash in Nepal and the Buddhist kingdoms central monks body began three days mourning rituals, Nepal Friday began investigating the passenger list that had described the group as Nepalis.

…. Source  : Nepal air crash probe begins, travel agent arrested.

E-mail alerts to warn pilots about volcanic eruptions

SYDNEY – Scientists from New Zealand are developing a new system to alert pilots on flights via e-mails about volcanic eruptions by detecting the lightning their ash clouds trigger.

The system, publicly unveiled by US researchers, uses data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) to create automated e-mail alerts within minutes of …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : E-mail alerts to warn pilots about volcanic eruptions.

Over 900 kg poppy husk recovered in Punjab

CHANDIGARH – In two different seizures, police have recovered over 900 kg of poppy husk from Punjab’s Patiala district and arrested two people, an official said here Friday.

According to a Punjab Police official, acting on secret tip-offs, they laid a trap and recovered the contraband late Thursday.
“We intercepted a motorcycle in Patiala town …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Over 900 kg poppy husk recovered in Punjab.

Nepal’s ex-crown prince pleads illness, calls off press meet

KATHMANDU – Charged with committing a public offence and freed on bail after cooling his heels in police custody for 48 hours, Nepals controversial former crown prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Friday decided not to shoot his mouth off and land himself in further trouble.

His eagerly awaited press conference, scheduled for 8 a.m. in … Read : Nepal’s ex-crown prince pleads illness, calls off press meet.

College student held with leopard skin

RAIPUR – A 20-year-old college student was arrested in Chhattisgarh for carrying a leopard skin, a banned item, a forest official said Friday.

The arrest was made on a tip-off by a forest department team who caught the student carrying leopard skin in a bag, in a bus Thursday in states Kanker district, about 150 …. Original article  : College student held with leopard skin.

Contract murders for just $40 in Mexican city

Mexico City, Dec 17 (IANS/EFE) Poor teenagers in Mexico’s border city of Ciudad Juarez say they have carried out murders on behalf of drug cartels for sums as small as 500 pesos ($40), a media report said, citing Mexico’s Social Development Office.

The office says the teen assassins are recruited from the shantytowns springing up …. Source article  : Contract murders for just $40 in Mexican city.

Court orders Brazilian magnate’s arrest

Brasilia, Dec 17 (IANS/EFE) A Brazilian court ordered the arrest of transportation mogul Constantino “Nene” de Oliveira in connection with a 2008 attempt on the life of his former son-in-law, a judicial spokesperson said.

Oliveira, 79, is a founding partner of Brazil’s No. 2 airline, Gol, and owns the ground transport giant Planeta.
He is …. Source article  : Court orders Brazilian magnate’s arrest.

80 prisoners, 18 guards hurt in Chile jail violence

Santiago, Dec 17 (IANS/EFE) At least 80 inmates and 18 guards were injured in “disturbances” at a severely overcrowded prison in the Chilean capital, an official said.

That tally was provided to reporters by guards at Santiago’s ex-Penitenciaria prison, although the head of the prison guard service, Luis Masferrer, said 54 inmates and 12 guards …. Source  : 80 prisoners, 18 guards hurt in Chile jail violence.

Eight die as truck overturns on hut

LUCKNOW – Eight members of a family, including children, were killed and four injured when a speeding truck overturned and fell on their hut in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district, police said Friday.

The accident took place at midnight in Tikaitnagar area, where the truck laden with rice husk went out of control and fell on … Read more >>>.

Man stabs children on bus in Japan

TOKYO – Thirteen people were hurt Friday when a man with a knife attacked children on two buses in a town in Japan, media reports said, citing police.

A 27-year-old unemployed man was arrested at the scene of the stabbing near the railway station in the town of Toride in Ibaraki region.
Four people were …. Read the original article  : Man stabs children on bus in Japan.

Former Indian online poker billionaire avoids jail in US

WASHINGTON – Thanks to confusion over how US law applies to online poker, Anurag Dikshit, a former Indian online poker billionaire, has escaped with only one year of probation and no jail time.

Dikshit, 39, an Indian citizen had travelled from his home in Gibraltar with a one-way ticket to New York to attend Thursday’s …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Quake jolts Philippines

MANILA – An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale rocked the southern Philippines early Friday, Xinhua reported.

The quake, which struck at 4.03 a.m., was traced some 95 km northeast of Surigao, Mindanao region, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said on its website.
No casualties were reported.
…. Read the original article  : Quake jolts Philippines.

10 dead in Ivory Coast clashes

NAIROBI/ABIDJAN – At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured in Ivory Coast Thursday as soldiers loyal to incumbent Laurent Gbagbo clashed with supporters of his rival for the presidency.

Gbagbo is clinging onto power despite wide international recognition of Alassane Ouattara as the rightful winner of last month’s polls – which were aimed [..] Read the original article: here.

I will continue my work and protest my innocence: Assange

LONDON – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange vowed Thursday to continue his work and protest his innocence with regard to the sex offence allegations brought against him in Sweden, he said in London after being freed on bail.

Standing on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice, and giving a victory salute, Assange thanked his … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : I will continue my work and protest my innocence: Assange.

Julian Assange freed from custody in Britain (Roundup)

LONDON – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was Thursday set free after nine days in a London prison, but faces a fresh legal battle over his extradition to Sweden on sex allegations.

The High Court in London Thursday granted Assange bail, dismissing an appeal against attempts by the prosecuting authorities to stop him being freed.
The …. Read the original article  : Julian Assange freed from custody in Britain (Roundup).

Five men held for firearms racket in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – Five men were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district Thursday for their involvement in the manufacture and supply of illegal firearms, police said. Several pistols and live cartridges were seized from them.

The five men, in their mid-30s, worked for a Bihar-based racket of manufacturing firearms and supplying them in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, … Read more »».

10 hurt in Kolkata student unions clash, traffic hit

KOLKATA – Traffic in southern parts of Kolkata came to a halt Thursday evening after student unions of the ruling Marxist’s and the Trinamool Congress clashed outside Asutosh College, leaving 10 students injured.

The area around Asutosh College saw violence after supporters of Trinamool Congress Chatra Parishad (TMCP), a students’ arm of Trinamool, and the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 10 hurt in Kolkata student unions clash, traffic hit.

Two missing Delhi students found in Katra

NEW DELHI – Delhi Police Thursday traced two teenaged students of a Delhi school, who went missing two days ago, to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir and took steps to bring them back.

“We have traced the two to Katra from where they are being brought back. The two were on their way to Vaishno … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Two missing Delhi students found in Katra.