A short-term solution : When the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was created in the 1970s, it was seen as a defense against supply disruptions that threatened national security - not as a political

For the first time in a generation, the United States finds itself edging toward a possible energy crisis. Although experts are divided on whether such a crisis will occur, Americans are worrying

Asia's rising anti-tobacco lobby : Opponents of smoking have pushed Asian authorities for tougher laws. In Thailand recently, the government banned smoking scenes on television; India this month

In a major new foray into wildfire prevention, President Bill Clinton's administration will try to put into broad effect an experimental effort under way in Arizona that is intended to reduce fire

A second study has found that pollen from genetically engineered corn plants can harm monarch butterflies. About 20 percent of the monarchs' larvae died after exposure to pollen from corn genetically

The United States offer of $1 billion in annual loans to finance the purchase of anti-AIDS drugs in sub-Saharan Africa has been rejected by South Africa, one of the countries most devastated by the

Monsanto Co. is trying to convince consumers that genetically modified food is safe for consumption, but employees at the company's British headquarters will no longer find such products on their

The European Commission decided to take France to the European Court of Justice if it refused to lift its ban on British beef by Dec.30, an official

With world oil prices close to their highest levels in a decade, it is time to accelerate moves toward wider use of energy sources that do not disrupt the environment. The latest oil price

The World Bank is ready to offer emergency funding to poor nations that face financial troubles because of high oil prices, James Wolfensoh, the Bank's president, said. At the same time, the World