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Canadian researchers from C-crest Laboratories have discovered an "unusually high" amount of bacteria in bottled water. Researchers don't blame specific brands, but bottled water in general. A random study found unusually high rates of heterotrophic bacteria in the bottled water, more than 500 cfu, the legal limit set by United States Pharmacopeia on how much bacteria should be present in drinking water in Canada. Unusually high amounts of bacteria were present in 70% of the test samples across several brands of bottled water. “Heterotrophic

According to Democratic Senator Mark Begich from Alaska, the U.S. Department of the Interior has decided to halt all new Arctic exploratory oil drilling applications until 2011. The response is believed to be caused in part by the two current oil spill disasters (that of the Deepwater Horizon Incident and more recently the Alaska oil pipeline malfunction). However, Begich is not happy about the actions taken by the White House. "I am frustrated that this decision by the Obama administration to halt offshore development for a year will cause m

After reports that US President Barack Obama has fired the director of the Minerals Management Service, Elizabeth "Liz" Birnbaum, the Interior Department revealed that she instead resigned "on her own volition". The resignation occurred amidst growing criticism of the federal government's response to the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion and the agency's oversight over offshore drilling.  Birnbaum, who became director in June 2009, was expected to testify before a subcommittee of the House of Representatives today with Interior Secretar

Vanuatu has been hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake at 04:14 local time on Friday (17:14 UTC on Thursday). The epicenter was located 215 kilometers to the northwest of Luganville, Espíritu Santo, Vanuatu; 340 kilometers to the southeast of Lata, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands; 485 kilometers to the northwest of Port-Vila, Vanuatu; and 2,070 kilometers to the northeast of Brisbane, Australia. The earthquake had a depth of 36.1 kilometers, approximately 22.4 miles. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a tsunami warning for Van

Art Linkletter, creator of the television show Kids Say the Darndest Things, died peacefully in his Los Angeles, California home Wednesday. Linkletter was best known for his television broadcasting hits, Kids Say the Darndest Things, People Are Funny, The Art Linkletter Show, and House Party. Linkletter was also a famed author, compiling the quotes from Kids Say the Darndest Things into a best-selling book of the same name. Bill Cosby says that "because of Art Linkletter, adults found themselves enjoying children." A few of Linksletter's ot

A US Coast Guard official said today that BP's latest effort to plug the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been successful in slowing the amount of oil leaking from the well. The official, Admiral Thad Allen, said that the procedure, known as a "top kill" operation, has been able to block some of the leaking oil at the source, the top of the damaged well. The operation involves pumping material into the well to plug the leak before cement is used to permanently seal the leak. Allen said the operation has "been able to force mud down and not allow

Omar al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, has been sworn in to another term after winning the country's recent polls, which were largely boycotted by the opposition. The inauguration ceremony, attended by multiple African leaders and two diplomats from the United Nations, was held earlier today. A reporter for the Al Jazeera news agency described the event as being primarily "a gathering of African leaders". In his inauguration speech, al-Bashir said that there would be "no return to war" with southern Sudan, and said a referendum on southern i

Lawyers for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich claim that the judge in his corruption trial inappropriately dismissed hundreds of potential jurors without consulting any of the parties in the case. As the trial is likely to last for several months, US District Judge James Zagel had stated in a previous hearing that he would conduct a "hardship screening" process and dismiss those jurors he feels would be burdened by this duty.  The defense team, however, argues that it must be involved in such changes to the jury pool and claims that ove

A Cirrus SR-20 aircraft crashed into an office building in Markham, a town near Toronto, at 12:30 p.m. local time yesterday. Both people on board were killed. The aircraft, which crashed into the roof of the two-storey building at Woodbine and Hooper streets, was engulfed in flames. Witnesses say that it looked as if the pilot was trying to find somewhere to land and that the aircraft was trailing smoke and rolled before it crashed. First reports state that the pilot and passenger were killed on impact, and the 14 employees at Thinkway Toys m

A motorist was injured during a collision that resulted in a rollover in the city of Naperville, Illinois, United States. The accident occurred at about 8:15 am (13:15 UTC) on the interchange of Illinois Route 59 and Interstate 88. Naperville police reported that Pavitra Durgam, a 26-year-old from Chicago, was traveling southbound on Route 59 and tried to turn left onto the ramp to Interstate 88. In doing so, she cut in front of a car heading north on Route 59. The other, currently unidentified driver swerved to avoid her, hit a curb, and coll

Authorities in Jamaica say that gunfights in the capital Kingston have left at least 30 people dead, as hundreds of troops and police search for an alleged drug kingpin wanted by the US. At least 25 people were injured as well. The violence has been triggered by the Jamaican government's efforts to extradite Christopher "Dudus" Coke, the alleged leader of the "Shower Posse" group. Armed security forces stormed the Tivoli Gardens slum of western Kingston on Monday in an effort to locate Coke, who has not been found. Last week, Coke's supporters

One of Mexico's most successful cartoonists, Gabriel Vargas, died yesterday at the age of 95. His death was announced by the National Council of the Arts and Culture. Vargas had been ill for several years before his death, but no cause of death has yet been given. Vargas's most successful comic strip was "La Familia Burron" which he started in 1937. The strip looked at a low-income family struggling with everyday life. It sold up to 500,000 copies per week until the 1970s. Later in his career he won several awards for his work, including Mex