In the papers...

UK pushing oil sands

The UK government has been giving secret support to Canada's campain against European penalties on tar sand fuels. Oil from Canada's vast oil sands reserves requires a lot of energy to extract, so Europe plans to label these as producing 22% more greenhouse emissions than conventional fuels. Fuel suppliers need to reduce their emissions as part of EU legislation, so would likely avoid selling oil sands fuels where possible.  
The Guardian, 28 November 2011 

Cream of BPA soup 

A team from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, US, has shown that bisphenol A from the lining of soup cans can pass to people eating the soup. Those eating canned soup had urinary bisphenol A levels that were 1221% higher than a control group who ate fresh soup.  
Daily Mail, 24 November 2011 

Premium panda poo 

Panda poo could be used to fertilise the world's most expensive green tea, which the growers expect to sell for up to £22,000/lb. Pandas have poor digestive tracts that only absorb about 30% of the nutrients in their bamboo diet, making their faeces rich in anticancer compounds. An Yashi, formerly of Sichuan University in China, plans to supercharge tea by growing it with this unusual fertiliser. 
The Times, 17 November 2011 

Delhi drug trial rethink 

After an investigation by The Independent, Indian authorities have said they will tighten the regulation of medical trials. A source within the drugs control department said the priorities would be establishing clearer guidelines, a focus on affordable medicine for India and developing R&D. Meanwhile, MEPs have vowed to stamp out unethical drug trials using overseas 'guinea pigs' where regulation is less strict. 
The Independent, 16 November 2011