2015 Event Water pollution in Rio de Janeiro may pose health hazards to participants in the Summer 2016 Olympics; the World Health Organization has asked the International Olympic Committee to expand its list of tested substances to protect the athletes 2015 Event In response to terrorist dangers such as the January shootings at French satire magazine 'Charlie Hebdo', the French National Assembly passes a law to expand the government's surveillance powers; critics warn that the act will violate civil liberties 2014 Event Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten is seeking to buy U.S. online rebate service Ebates Shopping.com Inc. for $950 million; in recent years, Rakuten has been making acquisitions to expand its interests outside of Japan 2014 Event Colombian coffee company Juan Valdez announces plans to go public in a couple of years; in the meantime, the company plans to expand its higher-end coffee shops around the globe in direct competition with Starbucks 2014 Event Disney announces that it will buy Maker Studios for $500 million with an additional payout of $450 million if certain performance targets are met; purchase of the online video producer may help Disney expand marketing outlets for its media 2014 Event GE is focusing on development of wind power in Japan, seeing an opportunity for the nation to expand its renewable energy portfolio after Fukushima; GE has designed a wind turbine capable of weathering the country's distinct weather challenges 2013 Event After the People's Republic of China expands its air zone, South Korea responds by expand its air defense zone, causing rising tensions in the region 2012 Event The U.S. Congress passes legislation to expand the use of drone aircraft in the country 2010 Event The U.S. Department of Justice plans to appeal the decision to block President Obama's executive order to expand embryonic stem cell research 1990 Event NL announces plans to expand from 12 to 14 teams for 1993 season 1985 Event Players' Association agrees to expand LCS from 5 to 7 games 1973 Event San Francisco 49er President Lou Spadia proposes NFL expand to 30 teams 1968 Event NBA announces it will expand to Milwaukee and Phoenix 1967 Event AL votes to allow Athletics to move from Kansas City to Oakland and expand league to 12 teams in 1971 with Kansas City and Seattle teams 1963 Event CBS and NBC expand network news from 15 to 30 minutes 1963 Event Major League Rules Committee votes to expand strike zone
