Hurricane warning in the Atlantic

According to federal forecasters, there is a good chance of there being 6 to 9 hurricanes forming in the Atlantic. Furthermore, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials have supported predictions of some of these major hurricanes as well as mentioning the possible formation of an additional 12 to 16 storms. While the forecasters said there is a 60% to 70% chance of their predictions coming true, it's impossible to predict what mother nature will present us with. For example, in 2005 forecasters predicted 12 to 15 storms to appear during the season, but there ended up being a record breaking 28. With the upcoming season quickly approaching (June 1 - Nov. 30), it's vital that people living in hurricane prone areas are prepared, regardless of the predictions.

Company offers to clone family pets

We all know that cloning is possible, we also know that cloning is more-often-than-not quite successful. However, what you may not know is that companies have begun to offer cloning services for family pets. A particular company in Mill Valley, here in California, has been granted the sole worldwide license for cloning cats, dogs, and select endangered species. BioArts International, aptly named, was given this right under the "Best Friends Again" program. This program works together with a Korean company called the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation. The company will offer slots to customers willing to pay about $100,000 for the clone.

Should cloning be legal, or to what extent should it be legal? Cloning endangered species seems reasonable, but house pets? Or is it all just wrong?

Original Article: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/05/22/company_offers_to_clone_family_pets/1594/

Gay Iranian Takes Refuge in British Asylum

Mehdi Kazemi, a gay Iranian student was granted right to Asylum from Britain in order to escape possible conviction and death in his home country. After going to England to study, Kazemi discovered that his lover had been hanged by the Iranian government as punishment for breaking Iranian anti-sodomy laws. Most human rights groups believe that the law is a pretext for discrimination. While reading the original article I kept seeing similarities (with the exception of the death penalty) between this and the Texas anti-sodomy laws. The discrimination brought by the Iranian anti-sodomy laws kept reminding me of Lawrence v. Texas.

Link to original article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/20/international/i174955D23.DTL

Senator Kennedy Diagnosed With Cancer

After being hospitalized due to a seizure last weekend, senator Kennedy was discovered with a brain tumor Tuesday morning. With the condition of Gliacoma, most doctors estimate the senator having one year left. The news upset many in the senate, in particular Sen. Robert Byrd, who wept for Kennedy during a speech on the Senate floor. Having served 46 years in the Senate, Edward Kennedy influenced a major portion of American policy and left a great impression on politicians and citizens alike. Recently Kennedy has been on the national spotlight for endorsing Barack Obama in the Democratic Primary Election. Kennedy is not up for re-election until 2012, however it is unlikely that he will be able to fulfill his term with his current condition.

Original Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/kennedy;_ylt=Ag2XkWcl7Y9wT1N180QwcwOs0NUE

Liberia's Cannibalistic Ex-President

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor is on trial for war crimes committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War. Charges include murder, rape, torture and using children as soldiers. During the trial a witness testified that Taylor ordered his soldiers to eat their slained enemies, a questionable technique used to scare enemies. The witness Joseph "Zigzag" Marzah, former chief of operations, also testified that Taylor casually ate a human liver. Charles Taylor denies being a cannibal and ordering soldiers to eat slained enemies and pleads innocent to the war crime charges. The court has yet to make its decision.



Link to the original article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/05/19/taylor.trial.ap/index.html

American Sniper Uses Quran for Target Practice

According to recent news brought by Yahoo( http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080518/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq) a American soldier has been kicked out of Iraq by U.S. millitary commanders for using a Quran as a practice target. The Quran was found on May 11th by Iraqi police, with 14 bullet holes. In a apology ceremony, a U.S. commanding officer kissed a new copy of a Quran in front of a local Sunni tribe in hopes of preventing escalation in reaction to the actions of the American sniper. Though the apology was accepted, it isn't the first time American soldiers have abused the Iraqi people and customs. The U.S. millitary emphasizes that co-operation with Sunni tribes is vital for succes in Iraq. If U.S. soldiers continue to offend Sunni tribes, then they will be less likely to work with U.S. forces. Will the recent abuses and other events influence the U.S. to finally begin the process of leaving Iraq? To what extent will Sunni tribes co-operate with the U.S.?