http://www.earthtimes.org The Earth Times online newspaper, serving the planet with general news and current affairs that matter en-us PHP/4.4.4 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276081,philippine-group-embarks-on-ambitious-sea-voyage--feature.html Manila - A group of Filipino adventurers is creating a stir across the Philippines, re-kindling national pride as they embark on an expedition to circumnavigate the world aboard a replica of an ancient wooden sailboat. Hundreds of Filipino outdoor en... Travel,General Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:29:43 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276081,philippine-group-embarks-on-ambitious-sea-voyage--feature.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276080,eu-to-lift-ban-indonesias-garuda-three-other-carriers.html Jakarta - The European Union will soon partially lift a blanket ban on Indonesian airlines, imposed in 2007 after a series of deadly air accidents, the Indonesian Transport Ministry said Saturday. The EU's Air Safety Committee has recommended that th... Travel,General Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:05:37 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276080,eu-to-lift-ban-indonesias-garuda-three-other-carriers.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276041,demjanjuk-pronounced-fit-for-war-crimes-trial--summary.html Munich - Doctors believe John Demjanjuk, 89, is physically and mentally able to stand trial for his alleged role in killing 29,000 Jews at a Nazi concentration camp, German prosecutors said Friday. But he would not be able to stand more than two dail... Legal,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:29:44 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276041,demjanjuk-pronounced-fit-for-war-crimes-trial--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276036,german-bar-owner-jailed-over-fatal-drink-duel-with-teen.html Berlin - A German bar-owner was sent to prison for 41 months Friday for a drinking duel with a teenaged boy which plunged the schoolboy into a fatal coma. The Berlin bar owner cheated, mainly pouring himself water, while 16-year-old Lukas drank at le... Legal,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:35:45 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276036,german-bar-owner-jailed-over-fatal-drink-duel-with-teen.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276009,new-finance-minister-confirmed-in-lithuania.html Vilnius - Ingrida Simonyte was confirmed as Lithuania's new finance minister Friday. Simonyte, 34, has worked at the ministry since 1997. From 2002 she headed the tax department. She was appointed a ministerial undersecretary in 2004. ... Finance,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:53:37 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276009,new-finance-minister-confirmed-in-lithuania.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276002,demjanjuk-deemed-able-to-stand-trial.html Munich - John Demjanjuk, 89, is deemed physically and mentally able to stand trial for his alleged role in killing 29,000 Jews at a Nazi concentration camp in 1943, German prosecutors said Friday, quoting a medical report. Ukrainian-born Demjanjuk, a... Legal,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:05:46 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/276002,demjanjuk-deemed-able-to-stand-trial.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275995,big-return-serbian-flights-to-croatia-get-scrapped-early.html Zagreb/Belgrade - Loudly billed as the big return after 18 years, tourist charters from Belgrade to the Croatian resort of Dubrovnik have been scrapped after only two flights, authorities in Zagreb confirmed Friday. Only two promotional flights h... Travel,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:47:42 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275995,big-return-serbian-flights-to-croatia-get-scrapped-early.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275989,chimney-turned-minaret-project-draws-controversy-in-poland.html Warsaw - An art project that would transform a tall chimney into a minaret drew controversy in western Poland as critics said it mocked Catholics, a Polish daily reported Friday. Architect Joanna Rajkowska was invited to design a project in Poznan, t... Culture,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:29:33 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275989,chimney-turned-minaret-project-draws-controversy-in-poland.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275988,britain-relaxes-travel-restrictions-for-its-citizens-to-sri-lanka.html Colombo - The British government has relaxed travel restrictions on its citizens visiting Sri Lanka nearly five weeks after Tamil separatist rebels were defeated to end a more then 30-year war in the South Asian country, the British High Commission i... Travel,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:23:32 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275988,britain-relaxes-travel-restrictions-for-its-citizens-to-sri-lanka.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275982,portugal-gets-new-economy-minister-after-insult-in-parliament.html Lisbon - Portuguese Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos will on Monday be sworn in as economy minister after Manuel Pinho resigned from the post over making an offensive gesture to a political opponent, government sources said Friday. Teixe... Finance,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:35:37 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275982,portugal-gets-new-economy-minister-after-insult-in-parliament.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275979,germany-toughens-up-rules-on-tax-havens.html Berlin - Germany's parliament passed legislation Friday that increases taxation scrutiny of companies and private individuals who have business ties to tax havens. The bill, drafted by Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck but later watered down by the g... Finance,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:17:38 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275979,germany-toughens-up-rules-on-tax-havens.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275960,after-protests-yemenia-suspends-flight-in-and-out-of-marseille.html Paris - The Yemeni airline Yemenia has suspended flights in and out of the French city of Marseille after several hundred protesters disrupted the registration of passengers on their way to Sana'a, French media reported Friday. The protesters were re... Travel,General Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:47:38 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275960,after-protests-yemenia-suspends-flight-in-and-out-of-marseille.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275924,judge-dismisses-charges-in-myspace-hoax-death.html Los Angeles - A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a criminal case against a woman who was charged with computer fraud for signing up for a false MySpace account and using it to badger a 13- year-old girl, who later committed suicide. Lori Drew, 50,... Legal,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:11:42 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275924,judge-dismisses-charges-in-myspace-hoax-death.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275900,even-rich-manhattan-sees-falling-apartment-prices-in-recession.html Washington - Manhattan, the most expensive place in the United States, has begun to see apartment prices fall as a nationwide recession is scaring away even the wealthiest Americans, according to a real estate report Thursday. Sales of apartments in ... Homes,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:53:49 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275900,even-rich-manhattan-sees-falling-apartment-prices-in-recession.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275854,eu-says-to-provide-latvia-second-loan-instalment-by-end.html Brussels - The European Commission will pay out the second instalment of its 3.1-billion-euro (4.4-billion-dollar) emergency loan to Latvia in the second half of July, officials in Brussels said Thursday. The instalment, which consists of 1.2 billi... Finance,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:53:55 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275854,eu-says-to-provide-latvia-second-loan-instalment-by-end.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275836,madrids-chueca-neighbourhood-gets-to-keep-its-gay-pride-event.html Madrid - Madrid's vibrant Chueca neighbourhood will retain its annual Gay Pride festivities, despite complaints from residents over noise and security concerns, Spanish media reported Thursday. The festival kicked off overnight, with writer Boris Iza... Culture,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:59:44 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275836,madrids-chueca-neighbourhood-gets-to-keep-its-gay-pride-event.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275822,government-bonus-scheme-triggers-surge-in-car-sales.html Berlin - Car sales in Germany surged by 40 per cent in June, data released Thursday showed. The number of new registrations in Europe's biggest car market climbed to 427,000 last month, Germany's International Association for Vehicle Manufacturers (V... Cars,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:11:41 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275822,government-bonus-scheme-triggers-surge-in-car-sales.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275814,medics-arrested-in-latvian-murder-probe.html Riga - Latvian police said Thursday they had arrested three men, including two medics, as part of an investigation into a murder ring. According to the Baltic News Service, police chief Andrejs Grisins said a paramedic, a medical student and a third ... Legal,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:35:34 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275814,medics-arrested-in-latvian-murder-probe.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275813,court-decriminalizes-gay-sex-in-india--summary.html New Delhi - A court in New Delhi on Thursday decriminalized gay sex between consenting adults by striking down a nearly 150-year-old law that made homosexuality a crime. In its landmark judgement, the Delhi High Court said the law violated the Indian... Legal,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:29:38 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275813,court-decriminalizes-gay-sex-in-india--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275805,spain-steps-up-police-patrols-for-tourist-season.html Madrid - Spain is stepping up security in its main holiday- maker areas with 4,500 supplementary police during the holiday season, the interior ministry said Thursday. The police officers will guard roads, airports, bus and railway stations, hotels a... Travel,General Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:05:34 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275805,spain-steps-up-police-patrols-for-tourist-season.html