Did a dangerous chemical at Iraqi plant cause death and illness of soldiers?

Larry Roberta’s every breath is a painful reminder of his time in Iraq. He can’t walk a block without gasping for air. His chest hurts, his migraines sometimes persist for days and he needs pills to help him sleep.

Climate bill would create new financial system; winners and losers emerge in carbon economy

NEW YORK — In addition to raising energy prices, the climate legislation that’s winding through Congress would create a parallel financial system with a carbon-based currency.

Pak’s ‘Get Baitullah’ mission critical to defeat Taliban: Gen Dutton

LAHORE - The International Security Assistance Force deputy commander, Lieutenant General Jim Dutton, has said that the Pakistan military’s operation against Baitullah Mehsud is extremely important in defeating the Taliban on both sides of the Pak-Afghanistan border.

Getting to Copenhagen: Climate deal stakes high for UN and its leader

UNITED NATIONS — For Ban Ki-moon, bringing about a new U.N. climate treaty by the end of this year is a must.

Motorcycle bomb strikes Baghdad market, killing at least 19 people, latest in wave of attacks

BAGHDAD — A booby-trapped motorcycle exploded in a crowded bazaar Friday in Baghdad, killing at least 19 people, Iraqi officials said, part of an apparent trend toward increased use of motorcycles to thwart stepped up security measures.

House begins debate over climate change bill; votes expected to be close

WASHINGTON — The House has begun debating a historic and hotly contested global warming bill.

EU closely watching US climate bill, calls for US, Japan to make climate change breakthrough

BRUSSELS — The Europe Union wants a U.S. climate change bill to succeed so the United States can move swiftly to curb greenhouse gas emissions, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Friday.

Questions and answers about the US climate bill that Obama hopes will ease global warming

Cap-and-trade? Offsets? Pollution credits? The climate bill passed Friday by the House tackles global warming with new limits on pollution and a market-based approach to encourage more environmentally friendly business practices. But what exactly do the proposed rules mean, and how would they work?

Calif. board delays decision on whether to impose carbon fee on industry, pledges July action

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California regulators on Thursday delayed a decision on whether to implement the nation’s first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other polluting industries.

Owners of forestland could reap big money from massive climate bill

WASHINGTON — For years, landowners have gotten paid for not farming. Now they may get paid for not cutting down trees.

Questions and answers about the climate bill that Obama hopes will ease global warming

Cap-and-trade? Offsets? Pollution credits? The climate bill under consideration in the House tackles global warming with new limits on pollution and a market-based approach to encourage more environmentally friendly business practices. But what exactly do the proposed rules mean, and how would they work?

Obama pushing urgently for bill to fight global warming on eve of historic House vote

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama pushed urgently Thursday for passage of legislation to confront global warming, billing it as a job-creating machine rather than the costly “job killer” Republicans denounced. He telephoning wavering Democrats on the eve of what could be a historic House vote.

Obama calls again for Congress to enact sweeping energy bill

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is pressing again for passage of legislation that would confront the problem of global warming head-on.

House Democrats push for votes on historical climate bill as White House steps up pressure

WASHINGTON — Democrats scrambled for votes Thursday on a climate bill that would for the first time limit the pollution blamed for global warming as the White House stepped up pressure on reluctant lawmakers and former Vice President Al Gore tried to stave off any defections.

Calif. Air Resources Board ready to vote on carbon fee on industry to fight global warming

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California regulators are considering a proposal to impose the nation’s first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other polluting industries.

Last-minute deals bring House Democrats closer to approving cap-and-trade climate bill

WASHINGTON — The nuclear industry, ethanol producers and rural electric cooperatives are among those who stand to benefit from eleventh-hour deals made by House Democrats in search of enough votes to pass a sweeping climate bill.

With concessions to rural areas, Democratic support grows for ‘cape-and-trade’ climate bill

WASHINGTON — Support among House Democrats appeared to be growing Wednesday for a massive climate bill that for the first time would limit the pollution linked to global warming and redirect the nation toward greater use of clean energy.

Concessions to rural areas remove obstacle facing climate bill heading for House vote

WASHINGTON — An agreement on a string of demands sought by farmers and lawmakers from rural areas erased a major obstacle facing a massive climate bill that for the first time would limit the pollution linked to global warming and redirect the nation toward greater use of clean energy.

US envoy at talks rules out 40 pct cut for wealthy states’ greenhouse emissions by 2020

MEXICO CITY — President Barack Obama’s climate envoy dismissed recommendations that the United States and other developed countries reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases 40 percent by 2020.

FACT CHECK: Obama offers escalating words of concern about the suppression of protests in Iran

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama described himself on Tuesday as being “entirely consistent” in his expressions of concern about the disputed Iranian election and the government crackdown that followed street protests. But his language clearly has gotten tougher since his first statement that the suppression of dissent was “of concern to me.”

Nissan to mass produce ‘affordable’ electric cars in 2012

YOKOHAMA, Japan — Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday its electric vehicles will be affordable, setting sights on the potentially lucrative market with a plan to mass produce zero-emission cars globally from 2012.

CBO study finds climate bill will cost average household $175 a year in 2020

WASHINGTON — A nonpartisan congressional study projects only modest household cost increases as a result of a Democratic proposal to limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, contradicting claims by many Republican lawmakers that the climate legislation amounts to a huge energy tax on average Americans.

Greener cows: Farmers change their cows’ diets to reduce burps, major source of greenhouse gas

COVENTRY, Vt. — Vermont dairy farmers Tim Maikshilo and Kristen Dellert, mindful of shrinking their carbon footprint, have changed their cows’ diet to reduce the amount of gas the animals burp — dairy cows’ contribution to global warming.

Greener Cows: Cutting down on Vt. cow burps to reduce greenhouse gases

COVENTRY, Vt. — Vermont dairy farmers Tim Maikshilo and Kristen Dellert, mindful of shrinking their carbon footprint, have changed their cows’ diet to reduce the amount of gas the animals burp — dairy cows’ contribution to global warming.

Clashes intensifies in Tehran as police fire tear gas, water cannons at thousands of protesters

Fierce Tehran clashes between police, protesters

THE INFLUENCE GAME: After ‘cow tax’ campaign, Congress and EPA steer clear of cattle burps

WASHINGTON — One contributor to global warming — bigger than coal mines, landfills and sewage treatment plants — is being left out of efforts by the Obama administration and House Democrats to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Intruder US-chartered aircraft allowed to leave Mumbai

MUMBAI - The intruder US-chartered Russian-make aircraft, AN-124-100, which was ordered to land in Mumbai late Friday after it violated Indian air space, was cleared by the intelligence and security agencies and given the green signal to leave Saturday afternoon, airport sources said.

Study: Weather, not pollution controls, had bigger role in cleaning Beijing air for Olympics

BEIJING — Beijing’s notoriously dirty air was cleaner during last summer’s Olympic games, but pollution levels were still much worse than at recent Olympics, despite a massive Chinese cleanup campaign, a new report said.

British volunteer’s rape triggers fear among tourists

SHIMLA - Many foreign tourists in Himchal Pradesh, which lures hordes of backpackers every summer, say they are scared and worried about their safety following the alleged gang rape of a British teenager in the popular tourist destination of Palampur in Kangra district.

Study: Weather played larger role in cleaning air for Beijing Olympics than pollution measures

BEIJING — Beijing’s notoriously dirty air got cleaner during last summer’s Olympic Games, but the weather played a larger role than the government’s massive pollution control measures, a new report says.