As in most countries around the world, carmakers in Venezuela are struggling to sell their products. For large foreign firms, the government's emphasis on environment protection and broadened access to transport doesn't make business sense.
US President Barack Obama approved measures on Monday to spur the production of fuel-efficient cars and vowed to take action against climate change, saying America was "ready to lead" and calling for global cooperation.
President Barack Obama has vowed to reverse US dependence on foreign energy by spurring development of fuel efficient cars and giving US states more room to act. Climate change and energy dependence pose threats to national security, he said.
After a two-day delay, Japan launched a rocket Friday carrying the Ibuki satellite, dedicated to monitoring global greenhouse gas emissions across almost the entire surface of the Earth.
In this edition: France's car industry prepares for gloomy year ahead; green sector to cushion the economy; French public television introduces partial ban on advertising; the President delivers his new year wishes.
Ghadira is an protected reserve surrounded by breathtaking beaches. Officials would like to get rid of a road to make one of the beaches bigger, but a new road would cut through the reserve, a prospect EU officials are not happy about.
In this edition: a portrait of new Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy; the Czech Republic sets its 2009 agenda as new head of the rotating EU presidency; Muslim places of worship under threat in Italy.
Around one million people living in Asia could be victims of a new era of earthquakes, says an Australian report analysing the probability of natural disasters. China, Indonesia and the Philippines are the most likely places to be hit.
Chinese competition in the car industry has moved into the promising market for mass-produced hybrid electric vehicles with the launch of BYD Auto's F3DM. Retailing at a cost of $22,000, the car can be reloaded on a household electrical outlet.
The final summit of France's European Union presidency covered a range of issues, focusing primarily on the environment, the financial crisis and the Lisbon Treaty. Can President Nicolas Sarkozy gain consensus in the final days of the French mandate?
