U.S. laws limit the burning of coal here, and Washington state has a strong green influence. Passenger rail in Seattle and beyond would suffer consequences from shipments to Bellingham. But the financial firepower lined up in favor of shipping coal from Washington ports to China is gigantic.

• January 8, 2011

One of the leading experts in the nuclear industry, Magnus von Bonsdorff, warns for the safety of Swedish nuclear power.

• January 6, 2011

At the risk of angering its close ally the US but while safeguarding its own national interests, Turkey has been developing its ties with neighboring Iran while making intense efforts to end a lengthy stalemate between the international community and Tehran over its nuclear ambitions.

• January 6, 2011

Turkey is among countries that were invited by Iran on Tuesday to visit key nuclear facilities, officials said, while noting that the invitation was conveyed to Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN nuclear watchdog in Vienna.

• January 6, 2011

Iran has invited Russia, China, the European Union and its allies among the Arab and developing world to tour its nuclear sites, in an apparent move to gain support ahead of a new round of talks with six world powers.

• January 4, 2011

Chinese scientists have mastered the technology for reprocessing fuel from nuclear power plants, potentially boosting the supplies of carbon-free electricity to keep the country’s economy booming, state television reported yesterday.

• January 4, 2011

Chinese scientists have made a breakthrough in nuclear fuel reprocessing technology that could effectively end any uranium supply concerns, state media reported on Monday.

• January 3, 2011

Iran will export 70MW of electricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan this Iranian year (which ends on March 20).

• January 3, 2011