Daily News – Page 1609 – 4VF News

Men ‘plotted to blow up jets with liquid bombs’

Eight men plotted to use bombs disguised in drinks containers to blow up planes heading towards the United States in mid-flight in the name of Islam, a British court heard Tuesday. Prosecutors told London’s Woolwich Crown Court the men planned to make the explosives from household objects to resemble drinks bottles, batteries and other items to be carried onto aircraft in hand luggage, the UK’s Press Association reported. The foiling of the alleged plot in August 2006 triggered the imposition of strict new security measures at international airports around the world, restricting the quantity of liquids passengers can carry on to aircraft

Green burials: A dying wish to be ‘home for fish’

Carole Dunham, 69, loved the ocean. Last July, she was diagnosed with cancer and had only a few months to live

Israeli tennis star ‘banned for own security’

Organizers of a tennis tournament in Dubai, criticized for banning an Israeli female player, said Tuesday they were trying to protect the woman from anti-Israel protests. “The Tournament respects Ms

Australian wildfires death toll rises to 200

Wildfires that scorched much of southeastern Australia this month now threaten part of the country’s water supply, even as the fires’ death toll has risen to 200, officials said. Fires that continue to burn near some major reservoirs in the region imperil the quality of billions of liters of water, according to Australian television station 9 News.

Roman Polanski seeks to resolve sex case, end exile

The judge has been dead for 15 years, and no one has been able to find the criminal case file since 2004. Yet a 1977 sex scandal involving famed director Roman Polanski and a 13-year-old girl continues to stalk the courts of Los Angeles.

Will Pakistan’s Shari’a Pact Calm or Inflame a Troubled Region?

In a desperate move to deal with an intractable radical insurgency, the Pakistan government says it will impose a form of Islamic law in the area of Swat Valley in the northwestern corner of the country. As a result, Islamabad’s faltering military campaign there has been put on hold, and the militants have agreed to a tentative ceasefire.

At Oscars, some celebrity freebies to be a bit less blingy

Award shows often mean free loot for celebrities. But with the economy tanking, this Academy Awards season could see some subtle changes in the giveaway culture, industry insiders say. “The country has shifted, and I think that bling is out,” said Jane Ubell-Meyer from Madison and Mulholland, which bills itself as a VIP gift bag and product placement company.

Spanish soldier arrested over ‘jihad’ videos

Spanish police Tuesday arrested a Spanish soldier and his Russian girlfriend for allegedly posting videos on the Internet promoting Islamic extremist views and calling for attacks in Spain, a Ministry of Interior statement said.

Japan appoints new finance minister after G-7 row

A new finance minister was appointed in Japan on Tuesday, immediately after his predecessor resigned following complaints of his erratic behavior.

Building Green Houses for the Poor

When most people hear the term “green building,” they probably imagine something like Bank of America’s soon-to-be-completed Midtown Manhattan headquarters. The skyscraper will have floor-to-ceiling insulating glass walls, automatic light dimming, water recycling, air filtration and on-site power generation