Eight U.S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan

Eight U.S. troops and two members of the Afghan National Security Force were killed yesterday in eastern Afghanistan in a large battle against thousands of militants. The NATO-led forces were attacked as tribal militants surrounded two security outposts. A U.S. official says the country will abandon the base, CNN.

The island of Sumatra in Indonesia has been devastated by massive mudslides after last week’s 7.6 magnitude earthquake killed over 600 people. The mudslides have wiped out an entire valley of villages on the island and officials say more than 200 people are trapped in the mud, Wall Street Journal.

More militants in Nigeria are laying down their guns. Militant commanders Akete Tom and Farah Dagogo and their fighters handed over their weapons yesterday and rebel faction leader Government Tompolo says he will disarm today, shortly before the expiration of the amnesty period that offers pledges of cash and jobs for disarmament. Rebel groups have been fighting the government over oil profits since 2006, BBC News.

A White House official says President Obama will take on overturning the controversial ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy “at the right time.” The policy prohibits gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military, New York Times.

Britain Issues Long Overdue Apology to Alan Turing

Alan Turing, the brilliant scientist who designed the machines that broke Enigma, the secret Nazi code used during World War II, has received an apology from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. After World War II, instead of receiving accolades for helping to win the war, Turing was persecuted for his homosexuality. He took his own life in 1954, BBC News.

Over 600 people have been arrested in riots in Kampala, Uganda. 14 people have died. Supporters of King Ronald Mutebi II, the ruler of the Baganda tribe, have clashed with the country’s central government. The riots started when the government said it would not allow King Mutebi to travel to another part of the country that is under the control of a rival group, CNN.

The H1N1 virus is now said to have originated in a pig that was infected with two different strains of flu. A single pig was probably infected with a swine flu common in North American that is actually a combination of a swine flu, the avian flu, and the human flu. The same pig was likely also infected with a swine flu that is predominant in pigs from Europe and Asia. The strains then mutated into a flu that is deadly for humans, Chicago Tribune.

The MRSA superbug (multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has been found in the ocean and on public beaches in Puget Sound. The virus is also usually found in hospitals, spas, and healthclubs. The virus is extremely dangerous because it does not respond to typical antibiotics. It is especially deadly for people infected with the H1N1 flu, USA Today.  How to protect yourself against MRSA, LiveStrong. MRSA in schools, CDC.

In a bizarre ending, the defending U.S. Open champion Serena Williams lost her semi-final match to Kim Clijsters after getting into a dispute with the line judge concerning a call. Williams had already gotten a code violation for throwing her tennis racket to the ground earlier, Boston Globe.