Trial, bond hearing dates set for VW emissions scandal executive in U.S.

DETROIT (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday set for April 18 in Detroit the trial of a former Volkswagen AG U.S.-based executive charged with crimes related to the company's massive diesel emissions scandal, but the defense indicated it may seek a postponement.

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Hundreds of North American bee species face extinction: study

(Reuters) - More than 700 of the 4,000 native bee species in North America and Hawaii are believed to be inching toward extinction due to increased pesticide use leading to habitat loss, a scientific study showed on Wednesday.

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Oklahoma faces continued risk of quakes linked to drilling: USGS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Parts of Oklahoma and Kansas are likely to experience damaging earthquakes as a result of oil and gas industry activity in 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Wednesday in its second annual forecast of natural and human-caused seismic risk.

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Storms move east after killing three in U.S. Midwest

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Tornadoes and storms that already have killed at least three people and destroyed homes in the U.S. Midwest are moving east on Wednesday, the National Weather Service and media reported.

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China orders aluminum, steel cuts in war on smog

SHANGHAI/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - China has ordered steel and aluminum producers in 28 cities to slash output during winter, outlined plans to curb coal use in the capital and required coal transport by rail in the north, as Beijing intensifies its war on smog, a policy document shows.

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U.S. military marches forward on green energy, despite Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and his top advisors have often scoffed at government support of green energy. His chief strategist called it “madness.”

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Nepal banishes old vehicles from Kathmandu's streets to fight smog

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal has forced 2,500 old vehicles off roads in its capital city of Kathmandu, part of a fight against alarming air pollution levels that have hit nine times World Health Organisation (WHO) limits.

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