Last week President Barack Obama lifted the ban on federal funding for stem cell research which had been in place since August 2001.

UK coverage of the story can be found:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/10/obama-stem-cell-research

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5877177.ece

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4963690/Barack-Obamas-stem-cell-decision-removes-an-obvious-impairment-to-research.html