Texas West Nile Outbreak

Texas is seeing an outbreak of West Nile Virus.

In Dallas County, nine have died and 175 others are infected causing Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, the county's director of homeland security and emergency management, to declare a state of emergency.

Dallas will be do extra spraying of insecticides in hopes to end the threat.

Both hand held and plane dropped methods are going to be used.

Other counties have seen hundreds of cases of the disease, but they have not yet declared an emergency.

Officials throughout the rest of the state are warning the population to be aware of the increased threat.

Deadly Riot in Mumbai

A riot in Mumbai, India saw two killed and at least fifty-two others injured, many of the injured were police officers.

Muslims were protesting the deaths of other Muslims, who had died whilst rioting last month.

When rioters started burning vehicles, police began beating the rioters with bamboo batons.

After officers started going down, police began firing into the air.

At least a dozen buses, several police vehicles, and three TV vans were destroyed in the riot.

Rioters singled out TV crews and vans, as they say the media was biased in it's coverage of the previous riots.

As of Saturday night, the riots had mostly calmed down, and police had regained control.

Nearly 200 Dead After Quakes in Iran

Nearly two hundred are dead and fifteen hundred injured after two large quakes struck Iran.

The first quake struck about thirty-seven miles north east of Tabriz, with a magnitude of 6.4.

It was followed, eleven minutes later, by a 6.3 that was twenty-nine miles north east of the city.

At least ten aftershocks followed the dual quakes.

Iranian state TV said that six villages had been completely leveled, and that sixty others were at least fifty percent damaged.

People were urged to spend the night outdoors in open areas.

Bears Coming Down

Wildlife officials are reminding Colorado residents to be wary of black bears.

Drought is driving them further down the mountains than normal.

Lack of water, and food shortages are forcing the move to lower altitudes in search of nourishment.

Already, bears and cubs have been seen in many towns in, and near, the mountains.

Residents, and visitors, should be reminded to never get between a mother and her cub.

To avoid attracting them, be sure not to leave food in your car, and keep all doors and big enough windows closed and locked.

Tropical Storm Ernesto Kills Seven

At least seven people have been killed by Tropical Storm Ernesto as it moved inland, on the south side of the Gulf of Mexico.

Five people were killed in the state of Verazcruz, and another two in Tabasco.

Strong winds ripped buildings apart, leaving entire towns without a roof to be found.

Some areas saw as much as seven inches of rain, within twenty-four hours.

Flooding has caused mudslides and damaged even more areas.

Ports all along the Mexican Gulf coast were closed, and shops were forced to find other harbors.

Ernesto has now weakened to the point where it is only expected to bring more rains, and light winds.

Louisiana Worried About Radiation From Sinkhole

A sinkhole fifty miles south of Baton Rouge, Louisiana has been declared an emergency situation by Governor Bobby Jindal. Appearing on August 3, the sinkhole is four hundred feet deep, and been the cause of mandatory evacuations for one hundred and fifty homes in Assumption Parish.

Highway 70, which lies nearby, has been closed as a thirty-six inch natural gas pipeline, which lies under the road, has begun bending due to the ground shift. Authorities say they fear an explosion if it breaks completely. Unclear is why the pipeline has not been shut down, due to the danger.

Mandatory evacuations have been in place, for several days now, but still some people have remained. The state says they are prepared to make it a forced evacuation, if danger seems imminent.

Authorities are saying the evacuation was placed because they are worried about possible explosions or radiation, coming from the sinkhole. No further explanation has been given as to why they are worried about radiation.

The sinkhole is believe to have been caused by a nearby salt mining cavern, which was plugged in 2011. Owners, Texas Brine Company, have been ordered by Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources to drill a will to investigate the cavern, take core samples, and provide daily readings for radiation.

Governor Jindal's emergency declaration, makes it possible for national resources to become involved. The Office of Homeland Security has decided to assist in the situation.

Remembering: The Smithsonian

In 1829 James Smithson, a long time deeply respected member of the Royal Society of London, died in Italy.

He had overturned popular scientific opinion, in 1802, by proving that zinc carbonates were true carbonate minerals, eventually one type of zinc carbonate was later named smithsonite in his honor.

When he died he had put a most unusual clause into his will, he requested that if his only nephew died without heirs that his entire estate would go to "the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge."

The abnormal request gathered notice on both sides of the Atlantic, especially as Smithson had never been to the States.

His nephew died, without children, in 1835 and the on July 1, 1836 the US Congress authorized the acceptance of Smithson's gift.

Most of the next decade was spent deciding how to best honor Smithson's wishes, but eventually Congress agreed.

On August 10, 1846 President Polk signed into law the act which established the Smithsonian Institution.

Today the Smithsonian consists of many museums, galleries, research centers, and a zoo; throughout the US and the world.

Japan Recalls Ambassador to South Korea

Japan has recalled their ambassador to South Korea in response to what they call an "utterly unacceptable" act by South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak.

On Friday, President Lee became the first South Korean president to visit an island chain that is disputed by the two countries.

Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said that Japan is, "given no choice but to take suitable measures against it".

South Korean officials state that the visit was not meant to cause issues between the countries.

However, it was only last week that Japan reiterated their claims to the islands, which have been occupied by South Korea since the end of World War II.

Ambassador Mutoh's absence is expected to be a short, most symbolic one, but it does show a strain between the two countries which are normally quite close, in working together.

Rhode Island Man Arrested For Samurai Attack

A man in Rhode Island has been arrested by police for attacking another, charging him with a felony assault.

Michael Gomes was in a fight with David Teague when he attacked with not just any weapon, but a katana sword.

Katanas are famous for being the sword symbol of the old Japanese warrior class of Samurais.

Gomes' swing of the sword cut into Teague's left arm severing tendons, muscle, and nerves.

Teague is now fine, but will have to undergo surgery to repair the damage.

Three other people, who have not been identified, were also arrested over the incident.

Mohammed el-Megarif Elected Interim President of Libya

With a vote of 113-85 Mohammed el-Megarif was elected interim President of Libya.

He beat out Ali Zidan, a human rights leader, who had also been fighting the old regime from exile since the 80s.

Voting was carried out by the two hundred member General National Congress.

El-Megarif, who had been living in exile since the 80s, was the leader of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, the oldest armed opposition group.

The group was one of Gadhafi's most hated enemies, especially after they organized the first Libyan opposition conference in London in 2005.

They were known for being the first to call out for Gadhafi to be removed from power, rather than worked with.

The National Front has now become one of the leading political parties, most notably for seeing Islam as a guideline for state affairs, without calling for Sharia law.