Mondaq Business Briefing articles from September 2007

Mondaq Business Briefing archives from September 2007

Housing Affordability & Urban Land Development.
September 1, 2007... The Queensland Government has recently announced major initiatives to improve housing affordability and reform urban land development. This includes the introduction of a new Urban Land Development Authority to take over planning and...

Hidden Liabilities: How Pension Deficits Are Affecting Firms.
September 3, 2007... Peter Maher considers the various strategies firms can employ to help them manage their pension liabilities. Although some firms have closed their final salary pension schemes to new entrants, deficits persist. And while the strength of...

HMRC: Topical Issues.(Company overview)
September 3, 2007... We look at HMRC's stance on salary payments to partners' spouses and tax concessions on late night taxis. The commerciality of salary payments to the spouse of a partner in a professional firm has recently come under attack by HMRC. This...

Trade Mark Registration For Generic Word "Maglev" Invalidated.
September 3, 2007... By Kevin Wong and Lin Lixia In this recent case in Singapore, the Applicants, Siemens AG, sought to invalidate the mark "Maglev", owned by a Taiwanese company, Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co. Ltd ("the Respondents"), alleging,...

House Passes Farm Bill.(United States. Congress. House)
September 3, 2007... On July 27, 2007 the U.S. House of Representatives (the House) passed its version of the farm bill by a 231-191 vote after a brief consideration on the House floor. As Collin Peterson (D-MN), the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee,...

U.S. Real Estate Fund Structures To Accomodate German Investors.(real estate investment)
September 3, 2007... The U.S. real estate market continues to be one of the most attractive investment markets for foreign investors, including German investors. While German investors such as German real estate funds have traditionally invested directly in U.S....

Incorporation By Reference - Giving Clients What They Want.(regulation on Product Disclosure Statements)(Law overview)
September 3, 2007... A survey conducted in June this year, by Investment Trends Pty Limited, concluded that over 80% of clients would find shorter disclosure documents more appealing.1 Recent amendments to the Corporations Regulations 2001 may give your clients...

Regulatory Authorities.(Basel II laws on margin lending and credit bureaus)(Australia. Prudential Regulation Authority)(Australian Securities Exchange presents its annual reports)(Australia. Competition and Consumer Commission filing cases on Uniden Australia Pty Ltd amarine radio provider, fot its materials)
September 3, 2007... APRA Basel II Framework - Margin Lending And EACIs APRA has released its proposed Basel II approach to margin lending, and draft guidelines for the recognition of external credit assessment institutions (EACIs). The proposed...

Human Capital (Employment): In Sickness And In Wealth?(Constructive discharge (Labor law))(GAB Robins Group)(Case overview)
September 3, 2007... An employee may be entitled to damages for future loss of earnings following her constructive dismissal even though she was off work on extended sick leave (and not being paid) prior to resigning. This was the finding in the recent Employment...

Human Capital (Pensions): Climate Control For Pension Schemes.(Pension Protection Fund)(United Kingdom. Pensions Act 2004)
September 3, 2007... Despite the conspicuous absence of the sunshine over the UK for much of this summer, the heat has been well and truly rising for employers struggling to cope with underfunded defined benefit pension schemes over recent years. In this article,...

Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW -v- Dederer [2007] HCA 42.(new south wales)(Contributory negligence)(Diving (Underwater))
September 3, 2007... 30 August 2007 Gleeson CJ, Gummow, Kirby, Callanan and Heydon JJ In Brief The High Court upheld the RTA's appeal in overturning the New South Wales Court of Appeal's judgment in relation to a 14 year old plaintiff who was rendered...

Corporate Strategy & Finance Update, July 2007.(Workplace smoking)(Corporation law)(Pension funds)
September 4, 2007... LEGAL UPDATE Companies Act 2006 - Update on implementation In June 2007 the DTI published some updated interpretation information in the form of FAQ's on those parts of the Companies Act 2006 (Act) due to be implemented on 1 October...

The Topps Decision - Another Take On Standstills.(Hostile takeovers)(Ventas v. Sunrise REIT)(Topps Company, Inc.)(Case overview)
September 4, 2007... Article by Michael Gans, Mark Adkins and Cassandra Brown (Student-at-Law), [c] 2007, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Originally published in Blakes Bulletin on Mergers and Acquisitions, July 2007 On June 14, 2007, the Delaware Court of...

The UPS Decision - Victory Or Temporary Relief For NAFTA Governments?
September 4, 2007... Article by Cliff Sosnow and Prakash Narayanan, [c] 2007, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Originally published in Blakes Bulletin on International Trade, August 2007 On June 11, 2007, an ICSID arbitration tribunal issued a decision...

Southern District Of Texas Bankruptcy Court Rejects Per Se Rule Imputing Conflicts Of Interest To Entire Firms.
September 4, 2007... Originally published in Turnaround Management Association newsletter, August 2007. Bankruptcy Court Rejects Per Se Rule Imputing Conflicts Of Interest To Entire Firms When law firms undertake debtor representations, there is...

Doing Business In Kazakhstan Today.
September 4, 2007... Originally published in Pipeline & Gas Journal, August 2007. Kazakhstan has progressed from nomadic, to communistic, to free enterprise in its long and turbulent history. But over the last 10 years, the country has grown up and matured at a...

Alert: Strict Compliance With The Code Is Necessary.
September 4, 2007... In a recent case, Ketchell v Master of Education Services Pty Ltd, the New South Wales Court of Appeal has handed down a significant decision that will have far reaching effects on franchisors. Facts Under clause 11(1) of the Franchise...

When A 'Deposit' Payable Under A Contract May Not Be A Deposit.
September 4, 2007... How the payment of deposits is structured under certain business and franchise transactions could potentially be affected after a recent judgement in the New South Wales Court of Appeal. In the recent case of Iannello & Anor v Sharpe, the...

Human Capial - Pensions - Court Of Appeal Reaches Decision In "Cripps V Trustee Solutions" Case.
September 4, 2007... Article by Jay Doraisamy, Andrew Powell, Francois Barker, Terry Saeedi and Steve Southern The Court of Appeal has decided, in the recent case of Cripps v Trustee Solutions (often referred to as the Dubery case) that any pension rights...

Liberalized External Commercial Borrowing Policy.
September 4, 2007... The External Commercial Borrowings ("ECB") policy has from time to time been reviewed and modified by the Reserve Bank of India ("RBI") in light of changing economic trends and market conditions. The RBI on 7th August 2007 further amended...

Human Capital (Pensions): Equalisation - The Chequered Flag Is Looming.
September 4, 2007... 17 years ago, the 'hot topic' for everyone involved in pension schemes was the equalisation of pension ages as between men and women and the implications of the Barber case. Well, as they say, some things never change... There have been...

CMS Releases Stark Phase III Regulations.(United States. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
September 4, 2007... More Fizzle than Fireworks On Aug. 27, 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an inspection copy of the long-awaited Stark II Phase III Regulations. Overall, healthcare providers should be pleased with the Phase...

California Supreme Court Invalidates Some Agreements To Individually Arbitrate In Lieu Of Class Litigation.(Case overview)
September 4, 2007... On August 30, 2007, in a 4-3 decision, the California Supreme Court opined that courts may invalidate arbitration agreements that purport to waive the employee's right to pursue class actions. In Gentry v. Circuit City Stores, Inc., 07 CDOS...

Auctioning IP - Use As A Licensing Forum?
September 4, 2007... More than a year down the track, everyone concerned with IP must have heard of Ocean Tomo's IP Auctions. My good friend, Jeremy Philips of IPKat fame, who is (amongst many other things) editor of Oxford's Journal of IP Law and Practice...

It's Over!? Not If I Can Help It...
September 4, 2007... Have you ever said goodbye to someone who just won't let go? My second semi-serious boyfriend just didn't want to accept defeat. Time and time again I told him - "it's over" - but he was no quitter. He denied to everyone including himself that...

IP Advisory: Summary And Analysis Of Changes To The Continuation Rules At The USPTO.(United States. Patent and Trademark Office)
September 4, 2007... On August 21, 2007, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced significant changes to the rules of practice in patent cases. The changes include the following: limiting the number of continuation (or...

Resolutions And Meetings.
September 4, 2007... The next implementation date for the Companies Act 2006 is fast approaching. Some significant changes are made to UK company law with effect from 1st October 2007. The new statutory statement of directors' duties partially comes into force...

Two Months To Go Until All Schemes Subject To New MNT Regime.
September 4, 2007... As you will be aware, the new regime for selecting member nominated trustees (MNTs) to occupational pension schemes came into force on 6 April 2006. However, schemes were permitted to continue to run any existing "opt out" arrangements that...

Product Liability And Recall.
September 4, 2007... At the end of July 2007 a supplier was found liable to its manufacturer customer for the presence of Para Red in the chilli powder it had supplied, even though the court accepted that the presence posed no risk to health. The High Court...

IP Healthcheck: Unlocking Your Asset Potential.
September 4, 2007... Building competitive edge in the hotels industry requires innovation, development, investment and planning. A key aspect of any successful business in the sector will be the maintenance of the intangible assets in the intellectual property...

Plain English Guide To The Pensions Act 2004 - New Version.
September 4, 2007... We have revised the Plain English Guide to take into account all of the regulations and regulatory publications which have so far been issued in 2007. The Guide also takes into account the draft regulations which have been issued in relation to...

AIM Companies - Website Requirements.(alternative investment market)
September 4, 2007... Existing AIM companies are now required to comply with the AIM Rule 26 that requires AIM companies to maintain a website displaying specified information. A new AIM company is required to disclose such information in its pre-admission...

How Long Should I Retain My Tax Records?
September 5, 2007... As we have noted in prior editions of the Tax Accounting Review, a good time to review your tax record-keeping responsibilities is right after you have filed your tax return. Retaining and storing your income tax records is a crucial final step...

Canada's Competition And Foreign Investment Rules Under Review.
September 5, 2007... On July 12, 2007, the Canadian government announced the creation of a Competition Policy Review Panel tasked with reviewing key elements of Canada's competition and investment policies. The panel's "core mandate" is to review the Competition...

Human Capital (Pensions): An Induction Course On Inducements.
September 5, 2007... There has been a growing trend amongst employers of exploring ways to persuade members to agree to a reduction in benefits or to transfer from a defined benefit to a defined contribution scheme, and the Pensions Regulator is now well and truly...

Commercial And Dispute Resolution: Speculating For Gold On The New Frontiers Of Gambling.
September 5, 2007... Ten years ago, on what we then called the Internet but now presumably should call "Web 1.0", lawyers from around the world were grappling with the fundamental issues concerning the legal systems which would apply to gambling transactions which...

Commercial And Dispute Resolution: Is It Time To Roll The Credits?
September 5, 2007... Carl Rohsler, head of the gambling team at Hammonds discusses an important feature of the new UK law which does not seem to have received much attention - the ability to enforce contracts for gambling and for money lent on gambling contracts....

How To Avoid An IRS Audit.(Internal Revenue Service)
September 5, 2007... Over the past five years, we repeatedly predicted that the IRS would increase its audit efforts. According to IRS data released earlier this year, our predictions have unfortunately come true and IRS enforcement efforts have increased in...

Financial & Tax Planning - Investment Outlook, Summer 2007.
September 5, 2007... In this issue Pension options explained Using IHT exemptions Protecting pension benefits on death Nil-rate band discretionary will trusts 'Non-working' spouses in a family business Transferring a pension overseas ...

New Marketing Techniques Versus Consumer Privacy: The Italian Approach.
September 5, 2007... Article by Avv. Felix Hofer* 1. In the 90ies the marketing industry in Europe was hit by revolutionary events: the impact of the information society with its striking new technologies offered ways of approaching consumers nobody would have...

En Banc Federal Circuit Reverses "Duty of Due Care".
September 5, 2007... In a decision that eliminates the "affirmative duty of due care" that has historically been created by simple notice of infringement by the patent owner, a unanimous en banc opinion by the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit...

Racing Industry Urged To Unite For Rapid EI Relief And Compensation.(Equine herpesvirus diseases)(Brief article)
September 5, 2007... Recently, the media has hinted at a possible class action for damages resulting from Equine Influenza. This is not necessarily the best course of action for those affected. Suing Government successfully is notoriously difficult, whether...

Businesses Expected To Welcome Crackdown On 'Domain Tasting'.(Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)
September 5, 2007... The investigation by the leading global regulating body for the Internet, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), into the practice of 'domain tasting' will be welcomed by Australian businesses. Domain tasting is the...

SEC Settles with Hedge Fund Adviser over Failure to Make Form 13F Filings Regarding Client Securities Holdings.
September 5, 2007... (Financial Services Alert - Developments of Note) FRB Authorizes BHC Ownership of SHLC Preferred Stock Convertible into Greater than 5% Voting Stock SEC Settles with Hedge Fund Adviser over Failure to Make Form 13F Filings Regarding...

Black And Blue Over The Colour Purple - Three Strikes And You're Out Cadbury?(Cadbury Schweppes PLC )(darrell lea chocolates)
September 5, 2007... By Catherine Logan, Partner Cadbury Schweppes executives and their lawyers must have been licking their wounds last night - or perhaps doing some damage to a family block or two, as the High Court recently dismissed their application for...

Whole Foods Decision Provides Guidance For Producers And Sellers Of Foods, Beverages And Consumer Products.
September 5, 2007... FTC Fails To Establish Narrow Product Market On August 21, 2007, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia released its decision denying the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) motion for a preliminary injunction to halt the merger...

Board Of Appeals Imposes Higher Barrier To Overcome Obviousness In The Wake Of KSR.
September 5, 2007... In its first precedential decisions since the Supreme Court's landmark KSR opinion, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (the Board) considered the issue of obviousness and affirmed final rejections...

Scant Showing Of Future Plans To Infringe Insufficient For Declaratory Judgment.
September 5, 2007... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Nucleonics' declaratory judgment counterclaims for patent invalidity and unenforceability since no legal threat existed where Benitec voluntarily dismissed its patent...

Rights Of Light And Building Agreements.(RHJ Limited )(FT Patten Properties )
September 5, 2007... Building agreements between neighbours are not unusual. They may include an express release of rights of light or a reciprocal agreement allowing neighbours to build on their respective lands without objection. Unfortunately not all agreements...

Binding Authorities: Insurers' Injunctions Against Coverholders.
September 5, 2007... A recent Commercial Court decision highlights the difficulties insurers face when applying for an injunction against coverholders. Insurers should not assume that such relief will be granted as of right. In this recent case, the insurer...

SEC Releases Shareholder Access Proposals.(Securities and Exchange Commission)
September 5, 2007... On July 25, 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") issued two proposals regarding shareholder access to a company's proxy statement with respect to director nominations. Although the comment period for both proposals ends on...

In Re Seagate: The Federal Circuit Scuttles Underwater Devices And Narrows Privilege/Immunity Waiver.
September 5, 2007... The Federal Circuit's recently issued en banc decision in In re Seagate Technology (Fed. Cir. Aug. 20, 2007) overruled the court's previous standard for finding willful infringement, eliminated the previous affirmative duty to exercise due care...

SEC Proposals For Shareholder Access To Proxy Statement.(Securities and Exchange Commission)
September 5, 2007... The Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") recently issued two alternative proposals on shareholder access to company proxy statements for director nominations. The SEC seeks comments by October 2, 2007. Both proposals seek to...

Options Backdating: The Latest Corporate Imbroglio.
September 6, 2007... Introduction On the heels of Enron, Worldcom, and Tyco, the financial community has been introduced to the latest corporate imbroglio known as backdating. With backdating, some executives allegedly manipulated their stock options in an...

Attractions For Foreigners.(influence of liberalization policy on investments by multinational corporations)
September 6, 2007... Mauritius is widely known for its Global Business Licence companies, Category 1 (GBL1) or 2 (GBL2), the former having access to double taxation agreements. It is a favoured route for many investors into several Asian and African countries. ...

High Court Extends Trade Practice Act Exposure To Companies Contracting With Governments.
September 6, 2007... In a major change to established thinking, the High Court has effectively limited its 1979 decision relating to crown immunity, in deciding that crown immunity does not apply to commercial contracts involving federal, state and territory...

New Bill Takes The First Steps To National Emissions Trading.
September 6, 2007... The Australian Government has taken the first legislative step toward national emission trading by introducing a Bill that will make it mandatory to report certain emissions of greenhouse gases, namely carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,...

Should Emissions Trading Be Exempt From Stamp Duty And Capital Gains Tax?
September 6, 2007... With the implementation of an emissions trading scheme only a few years away, questions are now being asked if a scheme will attract stamp duty or capital gains tax? The debate between state and federal treasurers is already in full swing,...

Punitive Costs Award Against Revenue.
September 6, 2007... It is not easy to obtain an order for costs in the tax court, still less to get a punitive one against the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The Income Tax Act provides five grounds on which costs may be awarded against either taxpayer or...

Communications Law Bulletin, July/August 2007.
September 6, 2007... This combined issue of our Bulletin describes events in July and August of this year. Although mid-summer tends to be a quiet time in Washington and the state capitals, there are a surprising number of developments to report in all segments of...

Communications Law Bulletin, July/August 2007 - Part Two.
September 6, 2007... Courts Find Unilateral Changes to Web-Based Terms and Conditions and Prohibitions on Class Action Lawsuits by Consumers Unconscionable In a number of recent cases brought by consumers against telecommunications carriers and web-based...

From Stakeholders To SIPPs Your Pension Options Explained.(evaluation of pension contracts )
September 6, 2007... The world of retirement planning can be overwhelming. To help you make your decision, we explore three individual contracts and their differences. Although the rules governing how much individuals can contribute to, and accumulate within,...

IHT Planning: Use Your Exemptions Before It's Too Late.(methods of reduction of inheritance tax)
September 6, 2007... There are many ways for families to reduce their IHT liability. We review the exemptions available. With tax currently charged at 40% on estates worth more than [pounds sterling]300,000, the recent rise in property values has brought even...

Lending In A Changing Climate.(influence of environmental issues on services of banks)
September 6, 2007... Originally published 18 July 2007 In the past, banks perceived the environmental and social issues associated with their client base as mainly a matter of credit risk, with direct exposure likely to arise only in the event that they were...

Further Evidence That The Courts Will Uphold Dispute Resolution Provisions In Contracts.
September 6, 2007... The recent case of Harper v Interchange Group Limited [2007] EWHC 1834 provides further confirmation that the courts will expect parties to follow any dispute resolution provisions they may have contractually agreed to. Here Mr Justice...

Commercial Agents' Compensation Claims - Two Year Benchmark Finally Gets The Boot.(laws and rules of United Kingdom. Parliament. House of Lords)
September 6, 2007... In a landmark ruling last month, the House of Lords has, after almost 15 years of uncertainty, clarified the appropriate method for calculating the amount of compensation to which commercial agents in the UK are entitled on termination of their...

Federal Judge Issues Order Temporarily Blocking Implementation of The Department of Homeland Security's Social Security Number "No-Match" Regulation.(Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security)
September 6, 2007... IMMIGRATION NEWS FLASH: On Friday, August 31, 2007, U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued an Order temporarily blocking implementation of the Department of...

All Change - Proposed Amendments to Regulatory Legislation.
September 6, 2007... Introduction In June of this year, the Jersey Financial Services Commission (the "Commission") issued Position Paper No. 4 in relation to amendments to regulatory legislation. The primary legislation to which this relates is the Banking...

USPTO Lacks Authority For Interim Term Extension After Request Denied.(Somerset Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Patent and Trademark Office)
September 6, 2007... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's denial of a preliminary injunction seeking to compel the director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Jon W. Dudas, to grant a request for an interim...

Reinstating Lawsuit Over V-Chip Patents, The Federal Circuit Clarifies Requirements For Declaratory Judgment Action.
September 6, 2007... Addressing whether a district court erred in dismissing a declaratory judgment action, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned the district court's dismissal based on lack of an "actual controversy." The Court instructed...

Drafting To Help The Reader May Limit Claim Scope: A Cautionary Tale.(cases of patent infringement)
September 6, 2007... Relying on a narrow reading of the plaintiff's patent claims, based primarily upon inferences drawn from the patent specification, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court's summary judgment finding of...

Deadline For Compliance With Code Section 409A Is Approaching.(analysis of compensation management)
September 6, 2007... Internal Revenue Code ("Code") Section 409A places significant limitations on the flexibility of deferred compensation arrangements. There has been interim guidance from the Internal Revenue Service that permitted good faith administration...

Customs: CITT Disassembles CBSA's Position On Imported Safety Footwear.
September 6, 2007... Article by Greg Kanargelidis and Elysia Van Zeyl, [c] 2007, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP A recent tariff classification decision by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal illustrates how an importer can lower customs duties and avoid...

District Court Denies IRS Request For Textron's Tax Accrual Workpapers.(Textron Inc.)
September 6, 2007... Keywords: IRS, Textron Inc., Tax Accrual Workpapers, IRS, corporate taxpayers, enforcement, confidential materials, federal tax audit, litigation For months now, corporate taxpayers and their advisors have been watching the federal...

Alternative Dispute Resolution for .eu Domain Names.(analysis of dispute resolution)
September 6, 2007... Keywords alternative dispute resolution, .eu domain names, top-level domain, cybersquatters, profit, third party trademarks, bad-faith registration, trafficking, identical trademark, similar trademark Every time that a new Top-Level...

Arbitrations, Class Actions, Consumer Contracts And The Internet - The Dell Case.
September 7, 2007... Article by Sunny Handa, Marie-Helene Constantin and Oana Dolea (law student), [c] 2007, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Originally published in Blakes Bulletin on Informational Technology, August 2007 The Supreme Court of Canada recently...

Corporate Manslaughter Bill Finalised: Management Systems To Come Under Scrutiny.(United Kingdom. Parliament. House of Lords)
September 7, 2007... After numerous Parliamentary debates and despite fierce Government opposition to demands to extend the scope of the Bill to include deaths in custody by the House of Lords, the Government acceded to the House of Lords demands to facilitate a...

Interest On Claim Payments In The Indian System.
September 7, 2007... Interest is always a factor for Insurers to bear in mind when dealing with a disputed claim, but it is particularly relevant in the Indian context where Insurers face the risk of significant interest payments when defending disputed claims, and...

Excessive Pricing - Don't Get Caught In The Mittal!
September 7, 2007... Dominant firms are prohibited by the Competition Act 1998 from charging excessive prices to the detriment of consumers. Why only dominant firms? The presumption is that a small firm will lose its customers to its competitors if it charges...

U.S. Supreme Court Decisions In Ebay, Medimmune, And KSR Deliver Triple Dose Of Bad News To Non-Practicing Patent Holders (Aka "Patent Trolls").(Case overview)
September 7, 2007... Over the last 15 months, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued three significant patent decisions with negative consequences for the non-practicing patent holder or "patent troll" business model: eBay Inc. v. MercExchange LLC., 126 S. Ct. 1837...

SCOTUS Rules That States May Require Affirmative Consent Before Public-Sector Unions Use Fees Paid By Non-Members For Political Purposes.
September 7, 2007... In Davenport v. Washington Education Association, __ U.S. ___ (2007), the United States Supreme Court examined the boundaries within which a State may regulate the political expenditures of a union representing public employees. This...

California Court Places Limits On Labor Commissioner's Wage Claim Hearings.(Case overview)
September 7, 2007... In Corrales v. Bradstreet,-Cal.Rptr.3d-(Cal. App. 3rd Dist. July 10, 2007), a California Court of Appeal ruled that the California Labor Commissioner had no authority to issue its 2005 precedential decision in Hartwig v. Orchard Commercial,...

U.S. Senate Takes Up CFIUS Reform Legislation Expected To Impact International Acquisitions.
September 7, 2007... Scrutiny of high-profile foreign direct investment in the United States is on the rise. Recent activity such as the Chinese government's $3 billion stake in Blackstone's IPO, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation's purchase of GE's plastics...

Medicare Hospital Inpatient Rule: New Policy For Recalled/Replaced Devices.
September 7, 2007... Article by Kathleen McGuan, Gail Daubert and Debra McCurdy I. Introduction Inpatient hospitals will be subject to a new Medicare policy regarding payment for procedures involving medical devices that are recalled or replaced at no cost...