As the Copenhagen climate change summit in December begins to dominate the global agenda, China is trying to pull off a delicate balancing act.

On the one hand it is holding firm against international pressure to sign up to specific targets for reducing carbon emissions or to set a date for when its emissions might peak, as it believes this could curtail its economic development.

Thousands of people lay trapped beneath rubble and at least 75 were killed after a powerful earthquake devastated swathes of Indonesia's West Sumatra province, according to government officials.

The moon is not, after all, as dry as dust. An American instrument on India

At the Group of 20 summit in April, climate change merited barely a passing reference - it was the 28th out of 29 points listed in the final communiqu

China is on track to meet ambitious targets for

moderating greenhouse gas emissions, according to an independent report.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, renewed his call for a European carbon tax on imports to the bloc on Thursday as he unveiled details of a new charge on fossil fuel products in France.

Nicolas Sarkozy tours a factory in eastern France: he told workers his proposal was

The European Union's environment chief challenged developing countries yesterday to agree at the Copenhagen climate summit in December to rein in their emissions growth in return for greater financial aid.

Gorgon, one of the world

The European Union has recommended listing bluefin tuna as an endangered species, starting a process to completely ban trade in the fish most prized by sushi lovers.

Brussels threw its support behind a complete ban on Tuesday after scientific advisors pointed to collapsing stocks in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Yukio Hatoyama is still one week away from becoming Japan