Three House Republicans have asked newly installed Appropriations chairmen to zero out NASA climate research. This would effectively end scientists' ability to measure changes in climate.

"A growing number of livestock, such as cows and pigs, are fuelling new animal epidemics worldwide and posing more severe problems in developing countries as it threatens their food security, according to a report released on Friday."

"The Canadian province of Ontario said on Friday it will not approve any offshore wind projects and will not accept new applications until there is further scientific research on the industry."

"The federal government’s No. 1 hunting ground for environmental offenders isn’t deep in the mists of the boreal forest — it’s in the back rooms of Canada’s neighbourhood dry cleaners."

"A top senator got a free Super Bowl trip from one Marcellus Shale firm. The state permits such gifts."

"Fast-growing interest in natural-gas drilling could create a flood of cash for Ohio cities eager to treat wastewater used to coax the gas from deep inside Utica and Marcellus shale. But what's good for the cities might be bad for the state. The process could pollute Ohio streams and rivers, environmental officials say."

"An Indiana County [PA] power plant deemed one of the nation's biggest polluters operated without federally mandated permits even though it was inspected more than 1,100 times by state officials during the past 25 years, according to state records."

"Huge population growth and food insecurity count among the factors that fuelled the revolution in Egypt and serve as a caution for other countries facing human and environmental overload, say analysts."

"A U.S. government investigation of the Trans Alaska oil pipeline has found potentially major safety issues on the line that ships 12 percent of domestic oil supply, making its operation risky until repairs are made, according to a letter sent by regulators to the operator and viewed by Reuters on Friday."