A federal judge has temporarily blocked federal funding for embryonic stem cell research:
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Obama administration regulations expanding stem cell research. A nonprofit group, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, contends that the government's new guidelines will decrease the number of human embryos available for adoption. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the plaintiffs are entitled to bring their lawsuit in the courts.
Embryonic stem cells are prized by researchers because they're considered the Rosetta Stone of regenerative medicine. By studying how the cells transform into any tissue, structure, or organs, researchers hope to learn how to transplant them, or activate indigenous stem cell populations to mimic them, and eventually treat virtually any disease or injury including blindness, paralysis, or even amputation. Lamberth was appointed federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in 1987 by Ronald Reagan. HT @thomasbetz & @jashsf.
Update: Via commenter Burrow Owl, full text of the ruling -- and it's real slow to load -- is here (.pdf).