Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for February 11, 2011

Firms warn staff of iPhone, iPad hacking

SYDNEY – Companies that let staff use iPhones and iPads for business have been warned that hackers could steal passwords from the device in just six minutes even if its lock is enabled.

The hack, which could seriously compromise a corporation’s critical infrastructure, was uncovered by experts in Germany and allows attackers to break into … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Firms warn staff of iPhone, iPad hacking.

Insurance claims from floods in Australia soar

SYDNEY – Insurance claims following Australia’s devastating floods in Queensland have reached the $2 billion mark, a media report said Friday.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) Friday released a brief statement outlining the latest claim figures for the December-January floods, The Age newspaper reported.
The council says 43,755 claims had been received. These include … Read more »».

Gunmen attack police in Rafah after Mubarak speech

Al-ARISH – Clashes took place between police and unidentified gunmen in Rafah, a town near Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, witnesses said Friday, after President Hosni Mubarak refused to step down the day before.

Some people were ready to fire bullets in the air to celebrate Mubarak’s resignation, as was expected late Thursday. Gunmen … Read more »».

Man kills girl for spurning his friendship

LUCKNOW – A man gunned down a teenaged girl allegedly after she spurned his friendship, and later shot himself here Friday, police said. He is being treated at a trauma centre.

Ashish Kumar, 24, shot dead an 18-year-old student of New Public Inter College in Krishnanagar locality here.
According to police, Ashish killed the …. Original article  : Man kills girl for spurning his friendship.

Kidnapped boy rescued in Haryana, abductor injured

CHANDIGARH – An eight-year-old schoolboy kidnapped from Ambala in Haryana Thursday was rescued after a gunfight with his abductors here, police said Friday.

“The school bus had dropped Vansh near his house in Defence Colony (in Ambala) and his grandmother was waiting for him on the other side of the road. Eyewitnesses told us that … Original article on : Kidnapped boy rescued in Haryana, abductor injured.

Snowfall brings respite to wheat crops in China

BEIJING – Light to moderate snowfall has brought relief to the winter wheat crops in drought-hit areas of China, where more than seven million hectares of farmland have been affected due to a lingering drought.

The snowfall occurred Thursday in the parched grain-producing provinces of Anhui, Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shandong and Jiangsu, said Yang … Original source on Gaea Times at : Snowfall brings respite to wheat crops in China.

Two hurt in Karachi rail track blasts

ISLAMABAD – Two people were injured Friday in two blasts on a railway track in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, a media report said.

The explosions occurred near the Baloch Colony of the city, the Geo TV reported. The blasts caused minor damage to the rail track.
Rescue teams were dispatched to the site, … Read more >>>.

Snowfall eases drought in China

BEIJING – Widespread snowfall in the past two days has helped ease a severe drought gripping China’s winter wheat producing regions, said officials.

The snowfall occurred in the areas along the Yangtze, Huaihe and Yellow rivers, the country’s winter wheat producing regions, China Daily reported Friday.
The Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said that … Read more : Snowfall eases drought in China.

Mathura market fire destroys goods worth Rs.50 lakh

MATHURA – Goods worth Rs.50 lakh were destroyed after a broke out at a wholesale grain market here Friday, police said.

The fire engulfed around 30 establishments of the Mandi Samiti. The market is governed by the State Agriculture Produce and Marketing Board.
“Within a few minutes, the fire, which is believed to have erupted … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mathura market fire destroys goods worth Rs.50 lakh.

CRPF trooper who killed woman kabaddi player dies

PATNA/SHIMLA – A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper who fired at himself after shooting down a national-level woman kabaddi player died of his injuries at a hospital in the Bihar capital, police said Friday.

CRPF trooper Jaswant Singh was being treated at the Patna Medical College and Hospital. “He died Thursday night,” a police … Read : CRPF trooper who killed woman kabaddi player dies.

India needs ‘freedom movement’ to root out corruption: Dosanjh

TORONTO – Top Indo-Canadian leader Ujjal Dosanjh has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling for a “third freedom movement” to liberate India from corruption.

He joins eminent Indians, including Wipro chief Azim Premji, who last month drew the prime minister’s attention to the widening ‘governance deficit’ in an open letter.
In a … Original source on Gaea Times at : India needs ‘freedom movement’ to root out corruption: Dosanjh.

9 die in shootout in Mexico

Mexico City, Feb 11 (IANS/EFE) Eight gunmen and one soldier died in a shootout in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas, authorities said.

Two other soldiers were wounded in the clash, which broke out Wednesday when army troops were fired on while responding to a tip about the presence of armed men in the town …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 9 die in shootout in Mexico.

Rape victim dies in Agra after self-immolation

AGRA – A class five girl, who set herself ablaze after she was raped by two students of her school, has died after struggling for life for almost a fortnight with 70 percent burn injuries in a hospital here.

“The girl, who was studying in a school in Firozabad, was in a terrible condition and …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Rape victim dies in Agra after self-immolation.

Case of financial misdoing against Rajya Sabha deputy chairman

BANGALORE – The Karnataka government late Thursday said it had filed a police complaint against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rehman Khan over alleged financial irregularities of around Rs.100 crore (Rs.1 billion).

The irregularities are said to have taken place in Bangalore-based Amanath Cooperative Bank when Khan was its chairman between 1989 and 2002.
The …. Original source  : Case of financial misdoing against Rajya Sabha deputy chairman.

Three Uttarakhand cops held after prisoner escapes

GHAZIABAD – Three Uttarakhand Police constables were detained Thursday after they tried to mislead police here about the escape of a criminal they had escorted to Delhi for a court case.

The three constables – Parminder, Sudhanshu and Rajendra Prasad – Wednesday brought Amit alias Bhura to Delhi from Dehradun for a hearing in … Original source on Gaea Times at : Three Uttarakhand cops held after prisoner escapes.

‘Sold’ Bhutanese boy recovered in Kashmir

SRINAGAR – The crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Thursday evening recovered a Bhutanese boy in Srinagar whose parents had complained to the Indian external affairs ministry that their son had been kidnapped and sold to a local in Srinagar.

Interpol, acting on the representation made by the parents, had flashed a …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : ‘Sold’ Bhutanese boy recovered in Kashmir.

Bangladeshi accused of murder in US arrested

NEW DELHI – A Bangladeshi accused of a 1989 murder in the US was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here Thursday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), an official said.

Mahfuz Huq was an absconder and was hiding in Bangladesh. An Interpol red corner notice had been issued against him at the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Bangladeshi accused of murder in US arrested.

Deaf, mute youth held for minor’s rape

NEW DELHI – A class 3 student of a government school was raped by her deaf and mute neighbour in west Delhi, police said Thursday. The accused has been arrested.

Mannu, 20, was caught after a power utility employee came to the eigh-year-old girl’s help in Kanjhawala. The incident occurred around 3.15 p.m.
…. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Deaf, mute youth held for minor’s rape.

Six robbers planning V-Day celebrations held

NEW DELHI – They had planned to gift diamonds to their girlfriends on Valentines Day Feb 14 but as luck would have it, six members of a gang which committed more than 100 robberies and snatchings landed in police net a week before the day marking the celebration of love, an official said Thursday.

Police … Original source on Gaea Times at : Six robbers planning V-Day celebrations held.

Seven killed as truck ploughs into Congress meeting

BHOPAL – At least seven people died and 19 were injured when a runaway truck slammed into a roadside Congress meeting in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district Thursday, police said.

The meeting was being held at Silkua village in Kukshi constituency, where bypolls will be held Feb 14 along with Sonkutch, when the truck ploughed … Original source on Gaea Times at : Seven killed as truck ploughs into Congress meeting.