Dec 16th, 2008 · Burning your feet on the very hot sand will soon be a thing of the past at one fancy hotel in Dubai. The world's first refrigerated beach is being built to protect the toes of clientele at the Palazzo Versace. There will be cooling pipes under the sand and wind blowers to produce a soft sea breeze. Not suprisingly, environmentalists are cool to the plan since Dubai's carbon footprint is already huge.
Dec 15th, 2008 · The Federal Reserve will meet later this week to finalize rules that would affect the credit card industry. The aim is to protect consumers. The regulations are likely to include banning card companies from changing interest rates on existing balances, except in certain cases. The industry says the changes will cost them billions. Consumers advocates say the reforms don't go far enough.
Dec 9th, 2008 · The Baltimore Opera is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday. The Baltimore Sun reports the remainder of the 2008-2009 season has been canceled, and ticket holders will not receive refunds. Peformers are being released from their contracts.
Dec 2nd, 2008 · The U.S. Supreme Court hears an important environmental case Tuesday, testing the role of cost-benefit analysis in federal clean-water rules. At issue is how far power plants must go in protecting fish and wildlife.
Nov 28th, 2008 · Many of the world's fish are heading toward commercial extinction. The next one to go could be the majestic Atlantic bluefin tuna. This week, an international committee meant to protect the species approved fishing levels that far exceed what scientists say is sustainable. Conservationists fear the remaining stocks of bluefin tuna in the Western Atlantic and Mediterranean could collapse completely.
Nov 21st, 2008 · Meeting in a special session this week, lawmakers changed a controversial safe haven law they passed only last spring. The original law was intended to protect babies but led to the abandonment of kids as old as 17.
Nov 19th, 2008 · India's navy says one of its warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden battled Somali pirates and destroyed one of their so-called motherships — a supply vessel that helps the pirates operate in open water. The attack occurred Tuesday, the same day Somali pirates hijacked two more ships. Nikolas Gvosdev, teaches national security studies at the U.S. Naval War College, he tells Steve Inskeep what can be done to protect one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
Nov 17th, 2008 · With many retailers teetering on the edge of insolvency, consumers who purchased additional product protection and service plans remain worried that their coverage may cease if the company fails. But many of these plans are administered and underwritten by third-party companies.