"COPENHAGEN -- Mayors of some of the world's largest cities flexed their muscle at the United Nations climate talks Wednesday, warning that 'billions of people' are prepared to cut emissions far beyond whatever agreement world leaders may ink this week."

"The 35-year-old federal law regulating tap water is so out of date that the water Americans drink can pose what scientists say are serious health risks — and still be legal."

"The White House is promoting a $5 billion increase in tax breaks for clean energy manufacturing in hopes of contributing to job growth and expanded use of renewable energy."

"Negotiators at the United Nations climate summit scrambled Wednesday to bridge multibillion-dollar disagreements as President Barack Obama and other world leaders prepared to descend on the Danish capital Friday." ... "US Secretary of State of State Hillary Clinton Thursday proposed that major economies including the US come up with $100 billion a year over the next decade for developing nations, in an eleventh-hour effort to break an impasse." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Copenhagen with new offers of conditional aid, but it was unclear whether this would be enough to break the logjam.

"Hardline anti-whaling activists prepared on Tuesday to pursue Japan's Antarctic whaling fleet with support from Daryl Hannah, who criticized Greenpeace for opting out of the annual chase."

"Large swaths of toxic algae have punished U.S. coastal towns at record levels this year, shutting down shellfish harvests and sickening swimmers from Maine to Texas to Seattle."