LexisNexis Emerging Issues: Emerging Issues

Arkansas Small Business Gets $224,000 From EPA For 'Green' Lighting Development

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:08:32 GMT

DALLAS — An Arkansas nanotechnology company has been awarded $224,997 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop a green alternative to fluorescent lighting.

Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication Laboratories LLC (NN-Labs) of Fayetteville is one of seven small businesses to receive a total of $1.6 million in funding to commercialize green technologies.

NN-Labs was awarded a Phase II SBIR cont

New wave of nuclear plants faces high costs

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:48:20 GMT

(AP) A new generation of nuclear power plants is on the drawing boards in the U.S., but the projected cost is causing some sticker shock: $5 billion to $12 billion a plant, double to quadruple earlier rough estimates. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Supreme Court won't block U.S. lawsuit by apartheid victims

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:08:46 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- (AP) The Supreme Court said Monday that it can't intervene in an important dispute over the rights of apartheid victims to sue U.S. corporations in U.S. courts

McCain urges free-market principles to reduce global warming

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:57:51 GMT

PHOENIX -- (AP) Republican John McCain, reaching out to both independents and green-minded social conservatives, argues that global warming is undeniable and the country must take steps to bring it under control while adhering to free-market principles. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Gradient Scientist Named To Lead Academy Of Toxicological Sciences

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:11:59 GMT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Barbara D. Beck, Ph.D., DABT, FATS, a principal of Gradient Corp., is president-elect of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, the leading international organization for the certification of toxicologists.

Academy Fellows are chosen based on education, professional experience, demonstrated achievement, proven ability and scientific expertise. Beck is an expert in toxicology and in health risk assessment for environmental chemicals, especially metals and

International Energy Announces Appointment Of Dr. Rakesh Shankar

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:07:29 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — International Energy Inc., a developer of leading-edge technologies for the renewable generation of photosynthetic biofuels, has announced the appointment of Rakesh Shankar, a noted environmental author, energy sector expert, negotiator and diplomat, to the company’s Scientific Advisory Board.

A respected lecturer, published environmental author, former university professor and researcher, Shankar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science (ph

Miles Electric Vehicles Appoints Czinger President/CEO

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:03:34 GMT

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Miles Electric Vehicles has announced the appointment of Kevin Czinger as president and chief executive officer.

Czinger has served as a senior executive with Goldman Sachs, Bertelsmann AG, the Webvan Group and Global Signal. Czinger has also been active at Benchmark Capital and as a senior managing director of Fortress Private Equity Funds. He is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School and is a leader in the charter school initiative fo

Nuclear Energy Institute Re-Elects Rowe Chairman, Gates Vice Chairman

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:57:25 GMT

CHICAGO — The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has re-elected John W. Rowe, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Exelon Corp., as chairman of its board of directors. NEI also has re-elected W. Gary Gates, president and CEO of the Omaha Public Power District, as vice chairman of the board.

NEI elected two new members and re-elected three members to its board of directors. Three new members were elected to the board’s executiv

Tetralogic Pharmaceuticals Appoints Dr. Andrew Pecora Chairman

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:48:56 GMT

MALVERN, Pa. — TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs that modulate cell death pathways, has announced the appointment of Dr. Andrew Pecora, FACP, as chairman of the company’s Board of Directors, on which he has served since January 2007.

Dr. Pecora provides TetraLogic with expertise in the field of hematology and oncology, cancer research, novel therapeutic development and clinical trial design.&n

Brazil announces plan for sustainable Amazon development

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:39:03 GMT

BRASILIA, Brazil -- (AP) Brazil's government unveiled new eco-friendly development plans for the Amazon rain forest Thursday, including low-cost loans to farmers and emergency measures to combat illegal logging. Full version available for lexis.com subscribers.

Schwarzenegger challenges automakers to meet California rules

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:21:05 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- (AP) Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday that pressure from the auto industry will not deter California from attempting to impose strict emission rules for vehicles sold in the state. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Western states rebuff plan for Italian nuclear waste in Utah

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:09:52 GMT

BOISE, Idaho -- (AP) Eight Western states on Thursday rejected a company's plan to ship tons of radioactive waste from Italy for disposal in Utah, saying importing foreign loads would violate the group's rules. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

UN food agency chief says more investment in farms needed to stop food crisis

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:29:03 GMT

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- (AP) The chief of the United Nations food agency said Wednesday that governments should boost investment in farm infrastructure and technology to fight a growing global food crisis. Full version available to

Group's lawsuit challenges New York Police Department's stop-and-frisk policy

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:02:06 GMT

NEW YORK -- (AP) A civil liberties group sued Wednesday in a challenge to the NYPD's practice of stopping hundreds of thousands of people each year for questioning, saying it is racially biased. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Michigan high court says gay partners can't get health benefits

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:37:46 GMT

LANSING, Mich. -- (AP) A same-sex marriage ban prevents governments and universities in Michigan from providing health insurance to the partners of gay workers, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

FBI withdraws national security letter to digital library seeking patron's records

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:13:16 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO -- (AP) A nonprofit digital library has successfully fought an FBI attempt to seize information about one of its users, and is calling on other groups to challenge government agencies attempting to obtain online customer information without a judge's order. Full ver

Cyclone has devastated Myanmar's rice region, experts say

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:54:09 GMT

BANGKOK, Thailand -- (AP) Myanmar's rice-growing heartland has been devastated by Cyclone Nargis, posing worries of long-term food shortages for the impoverished country and political problems for its military regime, experts said Wednesday. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Congress weighs housing rescue package

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:10:08 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- (AP) A broad housing rescue package aimed at preventing foreclosures would have the government step in to insure up to $300 billion in new mortgages for struggling homeowners. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

China orders mandatory reporting of all cases of deadly virus sickening young children

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:47:41 GMT

BEIJING -- (AP) China has made it mandatory for health care providers to report all cases of a viral illness that has sickened thousands of young children across the country, as the death toll rose Wednesday to 28. Full version available

Global warming pollution threatens Australia's koala population, research says

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:27:22 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia -- (AP) Koalas are threatened by the rising level of carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere because it saps nutrients from the eucalyptus leaves they feed on, a researcher said Wednesday. Full version available to lexis.com s

China accuses U.S. of shoddy probe into tainted heparin

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:21:33 GMT

BEIJING -- (AP) China's drug safety agency accused the United States on Tuesday of blocking Beijing's inquiry into a blood thinner linked to 81 deaths by refusing to provide details on victims and specifics about production. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Thailand drops plan for rice cartel, citing humanitarian concerns

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:44:59 GMT

BANGKOK, Thailand -- (AP) Thailand is dropping plans to create a Southeast Asian rice cartel that would have fixed the price of the skyrocketing commodity over food security concerns, the country's foreign minister said Tuesday. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Asian bank warns food crisis could erode progress in fight against poverty

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:36:51 GMT

MADRID, Spain -- (AP) Soaring food prices may erase gains in the fight against poverty, the Asian Development Bank said, as it outlined a strategy addressing the region's startling duality: fabulous new wealth alongside hundreds of millions still living on a dollar a day. Full story available to lexis.com subscribers.

Missouri governor, aides accused of ordering e-mail purge

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:30:16 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- (AP) Gov. Matt Blunt or his top deputies ordered Missouri's backup e-mail tapes to be destroyed to avoid complying with an open-records request from The Associated Press, a lawsuit filed by state investigators alleged Monday. Full version a

Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:08:19 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- (AP) Senate Republicans want the Environmental Protection Agency to consider waiving the country's ethanol production mandate amid rising food prices. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Australian minister: Food crisis could spur global trade talks

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:03:20 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia -- (AP) Growing concerns about food security could spur renewed efforts to liberalize global trade, Australia's trade minister says. Full version available to lexis.com subscribers.

Suits question how Kansas prosecutor handled abortion records

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:21:15 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. -- (AP) An investigator said he kept edited records from abortion clinics in a Rubbermaid container in his dining room for several weeks. Others, according to testimony, stored them briefly in cars and homes and copied them at a downtown Kinko's. Full version avai

Philadelphia Phillies Lead Clean Energy Movement In Pro Sports Venues

LexisNexis Emerging Issues Law Center Staff — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:33:49 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Officials from Major League Baseball, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Green-e Energy and WindStreet Energy, as well as Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, joined the Philadelphia Phillies April 30 in announcing a major initiative at Citizens Bank Park to aid in the efforts for a cleaner environment.

To offset the carbon footprint created by the team's utility power usag