A newly formed alignment of legal, financial, and investment interests will direct “trillions” of U.S. dollars over the next 10 years into evolving markets linked to climate change, clean technology and sustainable use of natural resources, according to a report being prepared for the United Nations.
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What was once considered a financial niche area is poised […]

One of the nation’s leading suppliers of electronic voting machines may decide against selling new equipment in North Carolina after a judge declined Monday to protect it from criminal prosecution should it fail to disclose software code as required by state law.
Diebold Inc., which makes automated teller machines and security and voting equipment, is worried […]

A convicted killer due to become the 1,000th prisoner to be executed in the US since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 was reprieved last night when the governor of Virginia commuted his sentence to life in prison.
Robin Lovitt, 42, found guilty of fatally stabbing a pool hall worker with scissors during a […]

Kos looks at the Dean DNC chairmenship on the one year anniversary of the DNC chairmanship battle:

This was the first tangible “victory” for the netroots in its struggle for supremacy of the Democratic Party. But I don’t bring this up to gloat. Rather, I bring it up to point out how little of the Dean […]

A University of Minnesota study indicates that the nicotine vaccine NicVax, which is now being tested in humans, appears safe, well-tolerated, and a potentially effective method for helping smokers kick the habit.
Full Story: Science Blog.
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Patents filed by US defence contractor Raytheon concede that current landmine clearance is ineffective, especially if mines are in sand or under water.
But the company has developed a shell containing hundreds of steel “arrows” – 155 millimetres long and 15 mm in diameter – that can trigger landmines with a single shot.
Full Story: New Scientist.
(via […]

Follow-up. This is in addition to the conspiracy and tax evasion guilty pleas reported earlier today:

U.S. Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a California Republican, resigned on Monday after pleading guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes in exchange for help in securing Defense Department contracts.
Cunningham, 63, made his announcement after entering his guilty plea on […]

I’m a little late with this one, but it’s good news none the less:

Leading opposition figures from the Conservative, Liberal-Democratic, Scottish National and Plaid Cymru (Welsh) parties have banded together to back the cross-party motion titled “Conduct of Government policy in relation to the war against Iraq” to demand that the case for an inquiry […]

Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax evasion charges involving the sale of his home two years ago to a defense contractor at an apparently inflated price.
Cunningham, 63, entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and tax evasion for underreporting his […]

The best news this week, I think, is the Canadian government’s $4.3 billion (US) plan to fight poverty in native communities, and the agreement to pay out $1.7 billion in restitution to victims of abuse at residential schools. I’m interested in seeing how the Canadian program goes, because I’ve always been conflicted about the […]