Arctic

Olympic-size 'North Pole Lake' once again turns to ice

WASHINGTON - Images of a scientific observation buoy floating in what appeared to be an Arctic lake near the North Pole lit up the online world in the past week, sparking questions about whether this was a sign of global warming.

Arctic methane release could cost economy $60 trillion: study

LONDON - A release of methane in the Arctic could speed the melting of sea ice and climate change with a cost to the global economy of up to $60 trillion over coming decades, according to a paper published in the journal Nature.

24 Jul 2013

Nations fail again to agree protection for Antarctic seas

BERLIN - Proposals to create vast marine sanctuaries to protect Antarctic wildlife from fishing and other human activity failed on Tuesday due to opposition from Russia, environmental observers said.

Nations to decide on creating vast Antarctic marine reserves

BERLIN - An international commission is considering whether to designate the waters around Antarctica special marine reserves, a step campaigners say would safeguard the habitat of whales, seals and penguins and more than double the world's protected sea area.

Arctic Monkeys boost upbeat crowd as Glastonbury mud dries

PILTON, England - British indie rock band Arctic Monkeys cranked up the volume to end the first day of the Glastonbury festival on Friday when the sun emerged after 18 hours of rain to brighten up the mood.

Oil executives tune out the call of the wild Arctic

NY-AALESUND, Norway - The high Arctic, once the irresistible frontier for oil and gas exploration, is quickly losing its appeal as energy firms grow fearful of the financial and public relations risk of working in the pristine icy wilderness.

31 May 2013

Ice levels, rule changes to boost Arctic northern sea route

NY-AALESUND, Norway - Shipping along the Arctic northern sea route is set to grow more than 30-fold over the next eight years and could account for a quarter of the cargo traffic between Europe and Asia by 2030, experts said on Wednesday.

29 May 2013

China granted observer seat on Arctic governing council

KIRUNA, Sweden - The Arctic Council agreed on Wednesday to admit emerging powers China and India as observers, reflecting growing global interest in the trade and energy potential of the planet's Far North.

Environment, China 15 May 2013

Ice melt, sea level rise, to be less severe than feared: study

OSLO - A melt of ice on Greenland and Antarctica is likely to be less severe than expected this century, limiting sea level rise to a maximum of 69 cm (27 inches), an international study said on Tuesday.

Science, Environment 14 May 2013

Acidification: the latest unknown for stressed Arctic ecosystem

OSLO - The Arctic ecosystem, already under pressure from record ice melts, faces another potential threat in the form of rapid acidification of the ocean, according to an international study published on Monday.

06 May 2013
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Italy's top court upholds Berlusconi prison sentence

ROME - Italy's supreme court on Thursday upheld a jail sentence against Silvio Berlusconi for tax fraud in a devastating blow to the former prime minister that could throw the country's fragile coalition government into crisis.