Kenya's Maathai Awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Environmental and Social Work

IHURURU, Kenya — When Wangari Maathai got word she had won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recently, she was campaigning to protect Kenya's forests and distributing food to villagers suffering from drought — the same work she's been doing for decades.

Southeast Asia Takes Aim at Illegal Wildlife Trade

BANGKOK — Southeast Asia announced its first coordinated effort against the multibillion dollar illegal wildlife trade on Monday, drawing praise from conservationists, despite giving no timetable for the plan.

Greenhouse Gas Jump Spurs Global Warming Fears

OSLO, Norway — An unexplained jump in greenhouse gases since 2002 might herald a catastrophic acceleration of global warming if it becomes a trend, scientists said on Monday.

Namibia Loses Ivory Export Bid at CITES Meeting

BANGKOK — Namibia lost a bid on Monday for permission to export 2,000 kg (4,400 pounds) of ivory annually at a United Nations meeting, a development welcomed by arch ivory rival Kenya, which sees trade as a threat to its elephants.

Democrats Ask for Investigation of Reported Changes to Salmon Study

WASHINGTON — House Democrats recently called for an investigation into a report that federal biologists rewrote an analysis that said a water transfer plan could hurt endangered salmon in northern California.

Conservation Meeting Votes to Prohibit Trade of Endangered Dolphin

BANGKOK, Thailand — An international conference to regulate trade in animals and plants agreed recently to prohibit trade of the Irrawaddy dolphin, concluding that they are so rare that even sales to aquariums are a threat to the species.

CITES Imposes Trade Controls on African Diet Plant

BANGKOK — A United Nations conference recently approved a proposal by African countries to control trade in a rare plant sought hungrily by drug companies for its appetite-suppressing properties.

Bush Defends Environmental Record as Kerry Attacks

ST. LOUIS, Missouri — In Friday's second U.S. presidential debate, Democratic candidate John Kerry accused President Bush of leading "one of the worst administrations in modern history" on cleaning the air, water, and soil, while Bush said he is "a good steward of the land."

Oil Spill Hits Tourist Islands in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia — An oil spill has swamped a chain of tourist islands off the coast of the Indonesian capital, polluting a marine park and hitting businesses in the area, officials and media reports said recently.

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