Breaking News – Newsletter for February 18, 2011

Uproar in Orissa assembly over Collector’s abduction

BHUBANESWAR – The Opposition parties disrupted proceedings in the rissa Assembly for the second consecutive day on Friday over abduction of Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna.

As Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat asked ministers to reply to questions put by treasury bench members, Oppsition MLAs rushed towards his podium shouting slogans at the top of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Uproar in Orissa assembly over Collector’s abduction.

3-yr-old Oz girl blessed by Pope miraculously survives death

SYDNEY – A three-year-old Australian girl, who was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI when he was in Sydney recently, escaped from death in a miraculous incident.

Tuesday afternoon Peter Hill rolled his 22-seater bus on top of his daughter Claire in a queue for petrol on the South Coast.

Lodged under the dual rear wheels of the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 3-yr-old Oz girl blessed by Pope miraculously survives death.

US army’s pocket-sized spy drone disguised as hummingbird unveiled

LONDON – The US army has unveiled a pocket-sized spy drone disguised as a hummingbird – it measures just 16 centimetres and weighs less than an AA battery.

The mini spy plane can fly up to 11 miles an hour and took five years to develop at a cost of four million dollars.

Army chiefs hope to … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : US army’s pocket-sized spy drone disguised as hummingbird unveiled.

Is Royal wedding making you squeamish? Buy a souvenir sick bag!

LONDON – As the Royal Wedding day approaches closer, various kinds of memorabilia are being flouted here and there, but this one surely takes the cake.

Graphic designer Lydia Leith has screen-printed souvenir ‘Throne Up’ sick bags that are selling for just 3 pounds.

Each bag has an illustration of William and Kate in the outfits … Original source on Gaea Times at : Is Royal wedding making you squeamish? Buy a souvenir sick bag!.

Irish female rapist told to get help for ’sexual aggression’

BRISBANE – An Irish nurse jailed for raping a mother of two in a Brisbane pub toilet has been asked to get help for her ’sexual aggression.’

Anne Marie O’Loughlin has been sentenced her two and half years’ jail, with a recommendation she be released on parole on March 3, 2012, reports Brisbane Times.

Dublin-born 25-year-old, who … Read more : Irish female rapist told to get help for ’sexual aggression’.

US court sentences Defreitas for life over plotting to blow up NY JFK Airport

NEW YORK – A US court has handed down a ‘life term’ sentence to Russell Defreitas, the man convicted of potting to blow up fuel tanks at New York’s JFK Airport.

In December last year, Defreitas’ co-defendant Abdul Kadir, a former member of Guyana’s parliament, was given the same sentence after the pair was convicted …. Source article  : US court sentences Defreitas for life over plotting to blow up NY JFK Airport.

China says US using Internet freedom pitch as pretext for interfering in others’ internal affairs

BEIJING – China has warned the United States not to intrude into other countries’ affairs after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had urged the world community to allow online freedom, and adopt common standards for internet use.

The BBC quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu as saying that Internet users in his country enjoy freedom …. Original article  : China says US using Internet freedom pitch as pretext for interfering in others’ internal affairs.

Singh apologises to Oz family for helping killer driver flee to India

MELBOURNE – Sukhcharanjit Singh, who has been charged for allegedly helping a killer driver flee Australia on a false passport, has apologised to the family of the man the fugitive killed.

Puneet Puneet remains at large after fleeing Australia in June 2009 while awaiting a pre-sentence hearing over a fatal crash in Melbourne in October 2008.

After …. Original article  : Singh apologises to Oz family for helping killer driver flee to India.

Stallion semen at Kiwi Wildfoods festival will leave one ‘raring to go’

MELBOURNE – A food festival in New Zealand is offering visitors shots of stallion semen, which is said will leave the drinker with as much zest as the animal for a week.

The semen will be served at New Zealand’s famed Hokitika Wildfoods festival next month, and racehorse owner Lindsay Kerslake says it is a “delicacy” … Read more >>.

Karl Rove urges US Republicans to stop falling into Obama ‘birther’ trap

WASHINGTON – Karl Rove, former Deputy Chief of Staff to former US President George W. Bush, has urged Republican Party politicians to avoid falling into the “birther” movement trap, and to stop fueling rumors that President Barack Obama was not born in the US.

“Within our party, we’ve got to be very careful about allowing these …. Original article  : Karl Rove urges US Republicans to stop falling into Obama ‘birther’ trap.

Sexually assaulted CBS reporter Lara Logan could become target for copycat attacks: Ex boss

NEW YORK – Lara Logan’s former boss has said that the sexual assault and brutal beating of the CBS foreign correspondent could “turn her into a target” should she return to war reporting.

Janet Leissner, who ran the CBS Washington bureau for eight years until 2009, said that Logan may risk copycat attacks now that she’s …. Source article  : Sexually assaulted CBS reporter Lara Logan could become target for copycat attacks: Ex boss.

CWG scam: CBI raids five Organising Committee officials

NEW DELHI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted raids at the premises of five Commonwealth Games Organising Committee officials.

Raids were conducted at the premises of AK Saxena, Nikesh Jain, RP Gupta, KUK Reddy and Sujith Lal. An FIR was also filed against these officials in the CWG overlays scam.

Overlays … Read more >>.

Malkangiri Collector kidnapping: Talks on with Maoists

BHUBANESWAR – After halting anti-Maoist operations, Orissa Government began back channel discussions with the rebels as the 48-hour deadline given by them for the release of Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna, neared.

State Home Secretary UN Behera said that he had spoken to social activist Swami Agnivesh and some backdoor dialogue was on for … Read more »»».

India-Japan global partnership to give new direction to way world looks today: Upadhyay

TOKYO – The upcoming India-Japan Global Partnership Summit 2011, which marks ten years of the announcement of the partnership, will initiate a new framework of working together between the two nations and give a new direction to the way the world looks like today.

The India-Japan Global Partnership Summit 2011 will be held in Tokyo [..] Read the original article: here.

US admits Davis case has made bilateral relationship with Pakistan “more difficult”

WASHINGTON – The United States has acknowledged that the ‘illegal’ detention issue of double murder-accused American official Raymond Davis has made its bilateral relationship with Pakistan “more difficult”.

“Has this case made that ongoing bilateral relationship more difficult? Probably yes. But we continue to work through this. And we continue to call on his immediate release …. Read the original article  : here.

Obama accepts Queen’s invitation to visit UK in May

LONDON – US President Barack Obama has reportedly accepted Queen Elizabeth’s invitation to visit Britain in May this year, ahead of his expected visit to the G8 summit in France.

Obama would reportedly be accompanied by his wife Michelle for the three-day trip, The Telegraph reports.

The announcement of the visit, from May 24 to … Read more »».

World’s hottest chilli grown in UK can leave one ’shaking uncontrollably’

LONDON – The record for the world’s hottest chilli has been broken by one grown in a greenhouse in UK, and it is so potent that it can reduce grown men to tears and leave one “shaking uncontrollably”.

The Infinity chilli, which has just been officially recognised as the hottest in the world by the Guinness …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : World’s hottest chilli grown in UK can leave one ’shaking uncontrollably’.

51pc of Brit women would sacrifice a year of sex if it meant they could be skinny

LONDON – In a new survey, over half of British women have admitted that they would sacrifice a year of making love if it meant they could be skinny.

51 per cent of women would choose the body of their dreams over a year of lovemaking, according to the survey.

The rest of the 2,400 U.S. women … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 51pc of Brit women would sacrifice a year of sex if it meant they could be skinny.

Charlie Chaplin ‘was born in a Gypsy Queen’s caravan’

LONDON – A set of letters discovered recently has suggested that Charlie Chaplin may have been born into a Gypsy community in the West Midlands.

A friendly note from an octogenarian called Jack Hill, who wrote to Chaplin from Tamworth in the 1970s informed him that he was not one of south London’s most celebrated … Read more >>>.

US disappointed over Pak Govt’s failure to certify Davis’ diplomatic immunity status

ISLAMABAD – The United States is disappointed that the Pakistan Government did not certify during the court hearing in Lahore that double murder-accused American official Raymond Davis possessed diplomatic immunity, US Ambassador to Islamabad Cameron Munter has said.

In his reaction to Thursday’s court hearings in Lahore, Munter added that the US “has made its position …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : US disappointed over Pak Govt’s failure to certify Davis’ diplomatic immunity status.