Don’t underestimate the microscopic lake amoebae – they’re stronger than they look. This year, the amoebae, whose scientific name is the Naegleria fowleri, has killed six boys. From 1995 to 2004, 23 people were killed in the United States from the amoeba making the yearly average 2.3 cases per year. With this year already at six infections, health officials are worried.

Infections from the amoebae are extremely rare, though the parasite can be found almost anywhere, including lakes, rivers, hot springs and even in swimming pools. Infection occurs once the amoeba enters the body through the nose and proceeds to attack the brain.

“This is a heat-loving amoeba. As water temperatures go up, it does better. As temperatures rise, we’d expect to see more cases,” said Michael Beach, a specialist in recreational waterborne illnesses with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Associated Press.

Britain’s plutonium stash is becoming a serious threat to both the environment and the lives of humans.

“Plutonium is highly toxic,” said a report by the Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s top institute of science. “It is the primary component in most nuclear weapons and could be made into a crude nuclear bomb by a well-informed and equipped terrorist group.”

With a store of more than 100 metric tons, Britain has accumulated enough plutonium to recreate the 1945 devastation of Nagasaki, Japan – and do so 17,000 times over. Britain is still searching for the best way to deal with this enormous cache, whether the solution means using it or losing it.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced another recall for the world’s largest toy company, Mattel Inc. As of August 14, about 19 million toys have been recalled worldwide.

“The company has ordered that all products be pulled off retail shelves,” said acting chairwoman of the safety commission Nancy Nord to CNN.

These toys, manufactured in China, may be coated with toxic lead paint or may contain tiny detachable magnets which are dangerous to children. Eighty percent of the world’s toys are produced in China.

According to Chinese media, the boss of one manufacturing company hanged himself after a recall regarding toys containing excessive levels of toxic lead.

Yassir Arafat’s official reason for death has long been recognized as poison, which until recently, was the only reason for his death. According to news reports, Arafat may also have had HIV, the virus that AIDS mutates from, before his death. Conflicting admissions from Arafat’s former doctor, terrorists inside of PLO and other officials, along with the confidentiality of the autopsy report on Arafat make it hard to know the truth.

“When Abu Mazen came to Damascus with his team, I asked them: ‘What happened to the investigation into the death of Abu Amar [Arafat’s nom de guerre]? The Israelis killed him. He was my colleague ever since 1965 and used to sleep at my home. He and I followed the same path,’” Secretary-general of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command Ahmed Jibril said. “They were silent, and then one of them said to me: ‘To be honest, the French gave us the medical report, that stated that the cause of Abu Ammar’s death was AIDS.’ I am not saying this, they did.”

As residents of Cherry Hill in the great country of the United States, we take for granted many luxuries. Perhaps the list of luxuries can begin with throwing away our toilet paper in the toilet to ending with having a roof over our heads at night. On July 5th, my family and I embarked on a journey to Peru, a country where in most places throwing your toilet paper in the trash can and having no roof over your head was the norm. As this trip was materializing in the spring, many of my neighbors and friends asked a common question, “Why Peru?” And every time I knew what the answer would be.

As he did in Africa two summers ago, my dad, an ophthalmologist, had signed up to do cataract surgery for patients in Peru. He joined forces with an organization called SEE (Surgical Eye Expeditions) International, which gives poor or less fortunate people around the world the gift of sight.

Could this be the worst summer for air travel? The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) released a report, saying that passengers across the country are experiencing flight delays. And statistics from FlightStats.com, a flight-tracking service, show that June was one of the worst months in U.S. history.

Last year, there were 8,710 canceled flights in June. This year, in the same month, the number more than doubled to 20,301 flights which ended up in cancellation. From 40 of the largest airlines, 30% of the flights scheduled to land in the U.S. were delayed in June, with delays lasting an average of one hour.

Some blame the FAA, which is responsible for operating the nation’s air-traffic-control system.

“Consumers are fed up now and the airline industry is taking the heat,” said aviation analyst Mike Boyd of the Boyd Group to The Associated Press.

Another explosion was nearly witnessed in Scotland only a day after London found itself in the same ordeal. A Jeep Cherokee was driven through panes of glass at a Scottish airport, nearly hitting those checking in for their flights.

One of the men who were in the vehicle is reported to have lit himself on fire and was taken in by police having suffered severe burns to his body. He and the other man who was arrested are suspected of attempting to bomb the terminal, deduced from the materials found inside the SUV.

Both were reported on July 2 to be doctors. At least one of the detained men is confirmed to have worked at a British hospital.

During the summer when the trees are covered in leaves, it seems that only the following season will endanger the trees. However, this is not the case. During late spring and early summer, starting around mid-May, gypsy moths hatch from their eggs and devour millions of acres of trees. The gypsy moth caterpillars eat over three hundred species of trees and shrubs, but prefer oak trees.

In 1869, the gypsy moth was introduced in Medford, Massachusetts by Leopold Trouvelot, a French astronomer. Trouvelot wanted to develop a species of silk moth that was resistant to disease, in an effort to strengthen the silk industry. However, a few of the moths escaped into the wild and bred. Though sprays to keep the moths away are sometimes released, the gypsy moths still devastate forests around the nation.

“Millions of people have safely ridden this ride in our parks,” said Six Flags spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg.

Unfortunately, one thirteen-year-old girl was not one of them. While riding the Superman Tower of Power at a Six Flags amusement park in Louisville, Kentucky, both her feet were severed at the ankles. The girl was taken to University Hospital for surgery.

The exact cause of Thursday’s accident is still being investigated. Witnesses report that the cable that broke in the duration of the ride wrapped around her legs. Passengers from the ride claim to have also been hit with the loose cable, although none of them suffered severe injuries.

With final signs to post, commercials to air and promises to promise, both Democrats and Republicans continue to vie for Congressional control. They can not, will not, sit down and relax, until Tues Nov 7.
For the first time since 1994, Democrats threaten to potentially dominate the House in addition to possibly having nearly tantamount […]