phosphorus news stories on Newser

Woman Burned by Flaming Rocks Undergoes Surgery

Neal Colgrass — Sat, 19 May 2012 17:01:33 CDT

A California woman has undergone two painful skin-graft surgeries after rocks she found on a beach caught fire in her pocket, the Los Angeles Times reports. "We know bad things happen to many people," said the victim, Lyn Hiner. "I'm thankful God carried us through this." On Good Morning America...

US Weapons Caused Birth Defects in Fallujah

Neal Colgrass — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:06:00 CST

US weapons likely caused a horrifying spike in birth defects among the people of Fallujah, according to doctors and a recent study of hair samples. Evidence has long connected American weapons like white phosphorous and depleted uranium to birth defects in the Iraqi city, which suffered devastating US attacks in...

US May Have Used Phosphorus in Afghanistan

Sun, 10 May 2009 17:01:00 CDT

Doctors have voiced concern over "unusual" burns on Afghan villagers wounded in an already controversial US-Taliban battle, and the country's top human rights groups said today it is investigating the possibility white phosphorus was used. The US military denied using the incendiary in a Farah province battle that President Hamid...

Suds-Smugglers Thwart Eco-Friendly Law

Rob Quinn — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:13:48 CDT

Spokane, Washington's pioneering ban on high-phosphorus dishwasher detergents has led some residents to pioneer detergent-smuggling, reports the AP. People complaining that the eco-friendly detergents don't get their dishes as clean as the old kind regularly cross over into Idaho to stock up. Retailers near the border say their detergent sales...

Israel Committed Gaza War Crimes: Rights Group

Jason Farago — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:28:36 CDT

Israel's military committed war crimes by repeatedly firing white phosphorus into crowded areas of Gaza, Human Rights Watch said today. A report by the group alleges that Israel chose not to use less dangerous smoke shells and even fired the incendiary agent at the main UN compound in the Strip....

Israel Probes Phosphorus Use in Gaza

Katherine Thompson — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:17:01 CST

Under pressure from the international community, Israel has admitted its troops might have inappropriately used white phosphorus in attacks on Gaza, and has launched an investigation. International law only permits the caustic chemical for creating smokescreens in troop areas, which wouldn’t explain hits on United Nations facilities in Gaza, the...