Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for January 13, 2011

Human fury claims another leopard, probe ordered

BHUBANESWAR – Another leopard fell prey to human fury as angry villagers Thursday hammered it to death with wooden sticks and cricket bats on the outskirts of this Orissa capital after it mauled two people. A probe has been ordered, an official said.

The leopard, which reportedly strayed into the area near Gandarpur village from … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Human fury claims another leopard, probe ordered.

Two Tamil Nadu businessmen held captive near Agra?

AGRA – Two Tamil Nadu businessmen remain untraced 10 days after they were suspected to have been abducted from a guesthouse in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, but police are now zeroing in on areas near Agra as the place of captivity.

The two traders, Senthil Kumar, 28, and his agent Karunanidhi had come to Gwalior … Read : Two Tamil Nadu businessmen held captive near Agra?.

BSP leader, aides booked for assaulting official

LUCKNOW – A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and his three aides have been booked for brutally assaulting an irrigation department employee who objected to their illegal mining of sand in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district, police said Thursday.

Police said the politician and two of his supporters are absconding. One of the aides has …. Source  : BSP leader, aides booked for assaulting official.

Italy’s ex-minister gets threat mail with bullet

Ceppaloni (Italy), Jan 13 (IANS/AKI) A former Italian justice minister received a threat mail along with a bullet at his home in northeast of Naples, warning him against fighting in a local body election.

The letter containing bullet allegedly mailed by the far-Left Red Brigades was sent to former justice minister Clemente Mastella’s home in …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Worst over for Brisbane as deadly flood runs out of puff

SYDNEY – Australia’s third-biggest city woke up Thursday to the good news that the Brisbane River had peaked below the forecast and flood damage had come in below expectations.

The river reached 4.46 metres in Brisbane, well short of the 5.2 that hydrologists had predicted and nearly 1 metre below the 5.45 metres that touched … Read more : Worst over for Brisbane as deadly flood runs out of puff.

Heavy rains leave 250 dead in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Jan 13 (IANS/EFE) At least 250 people have died due to heavy rains, flooding and mudslides in Brazil during the past two days, authorities said.

In the mountainous Teresopolis, the most heavily affected area, the toll stands at 122, while in the neighbouring town of Nova Friburgo 97 people have died, firefighters … Read : Heavy rains leave 250 dead in Brazil.

Road accident kills six in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO – At least six people were killed and eight others injured when a bus collided with a van in western Sri Lanka Thursday morning, police said.

Both vehicles were travelling at high speed when they crashed into each other at Kosgama, 38 km south of Colombo, officers said.
The van was also carrying passengers, … Read more >>>.

Haiti remembers earthquake, 222,000 victims

Port-au-PRINCE – Life stood still for 47 seconds in Haiti Wednesday as a moment of silence fell over the disaster-ravaged Caribbean country.

The commemoration was dedicated to the 222,000 people who died in the magnitude-7 quake, which struck at 4:53 p.m. (2153 GMT) Jan 12, 2010. The whole country ground to a halt at that … Original article on : Haiti remembers earthquake, 222,000 victims.

Brisbane spared as deadly flood runs out of puff

SYDNEY – The residents of Australia’s third-biggest city Thursday woke up to the good news that the Brisbane River had peaked below the forecast and they had been spared even more flood damage.

The river reached 4.6 metres, well short of the 5.45 metres that touched off the catastrophic flooding of 1974.
Brisbane Lord Mayor … Read more >>.

Chinese trial of New Zealand murder suspect provokes protests

WELLINGTON – China’s refusal to allow a Chinese citizen accused of murder in New Zealand to be returned to that country for trial provoked protests Thursday.

One legal expert even called the refusal and “insult” to New Zealand.
Zhen Xiao, 23, was arrested in China where he fled after allegedly murdering Hiren Mohini, 39, an …. Source article  : Chinese trial of New Zealand murder suspect provokes protests.

Bellamy arrested on suspicion of assault: reports

LONDON – Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of assault, media reports said Wednesday.

The Wales international, who is on loan at Cardiff City, was taken into custody at around 2.45 a.m. Sunday, after two men were injured in an early morning incident on Caroline Street in Cardiff.
The …. Source  : Bellamy arrested on suspicion of assault: reports.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar seeks corruption watchdog

MUMBAI – Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Wednesday said there was a need to set up an “independent body” to keep a check on corruption and financial scams.

“Agencies that are supposed to check the scams are also involved in the same scams. We need to have people of character and honesty to check … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Sri Sri Ravi Shankar seeks corruption watchdog.

Haiti remembers those killed in 2010 quake

Port-au-PRINCE – A funeral service in the ruins of Port-au-Prince cathedral Wednesday included ceremonies to remember the 230,000 people killed in a quake that devastated Haiti a year ago.

Thousands gathered for mass at the site of the cathedral, which was destroyed in the Jan 12, 2010 quake along with much of the city and …. Original article  : Haiti remembers those killed in 2010 quake.

Two engineering students held for vehicle thefts

NOIDA – Two engineering students have been arrested for stealing vehicles in Noida, police said Wednesday.

Mukul Mittal, a second year B.Tech student of RKGIT Engineering College on Meerut Road in Ghaziabad, and Sumit De, a second year B.Tech student of Skyline College in Meerut, were arrested Tuesday night.
The police also seized … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Two engineering students held for vehicle thefts.

Onion prices: Surveys yield over Rs.70 mn in Punjab

CHANDIGARH – Income tax surveys carried out by the department earlier this month in different parts of Punjab amidst soaring prices of onions and other vegetables have yielded over Rs.7 crore (Rs.70 million) in undeclared incomes, officials said Wednesday.

“The survey was conducted in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Chandigarh to check hoarding of vegetables in … Read more >>>.

Rs.100 mn robbery in Chandigarh jewellery store (Second Lead)

CHANDIGARH – In what is believed to be the biggest heist in the history of this union territory, a gang of 10-15 robbers dressed in police uniforms looted jewellery worth over Rs.10 crore (Rs.100 million) from the Tanishq showroom in Manimajra town, police said.

The accused, dressed in Uttar Pradesh Police uniforms, overpowered two security …. Source  : Rs.100 mn robbery in Chandigarh jewellery store (Second Lead).

379 Maoists on hunger strike in Chhattisgarh jail

RAIPUR – As many as 379 Maoists lodged in a jail in Chhattisgarhs insurgency-hit Dantewada district continued their hunger strike for the second day Wednesday, demanding that they be released as they had been held on “false charges”.

“Their demands are quite surprising… they are seeking bail claiming to be arrested on false charges and …. Read the original article  : 379 Maoists on hunger strike in Chhattisgarh jail.

1,800 displaced people returned home in Meghalaya

MENDIPATHAR – Around 1,800 people, who were displaced following the ethnic clashes in Meghalaya and Assam, have returned home and no reports of fresh violence were reported in the region, an official said Wednesday.

In Assam’s Goalpara district, two relief camps were closed after the displaced wanted to go back to their homes, Goalpara District … Read more »».

Modi questions Chennai Police’s statements

MUMBAI – Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has shot off a letter to Chennai Police Commissioner T. Rajendran questioning his recent statements on the police inability to serve summons to him.

Modi has also questioned media reports quoting Rajendran that since he refused to accept the summons, the Chennai Police was planning to prosecute him …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Modi questions Chennai Police’s statements.

Winnie Mandela embroiled in speeding dispute

JOHANNESBURG – A white police officer is under investigation after stopping Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, for recklessly weaving through traffic at speeds of 150 km per hour, according to South African media reports Wednesday.

The policeman told the Beeld newspaper he had not recognised the driver “since she had … Read more >>>.