Science and Technology:
¶ Soot is a major contributor to global warming that has had underestimated consequences. It results from bad combustion, and it can be controlled. [Earthjustice]
World:
¶ A senior official at Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority was fired for leaking a draft report on seismic activity at Tsuruga nuclear plant to the plant’s owner. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ After the Cumbrian County Councils vote not to allow a nuclear dump in their county, there is talk of Copeland, the borough that voted in favor of hosting the dump, ignoring the county’s misgivings and having the dump site there. [BBC News]
US:
¶ A decline in US carbon emissions is underway, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance and The Business Council for Sustainable Energy. [Renew Grid]
¶ The view that climate change is a problem, caused by emissions from human activity, is becoming prevalent, even among people who are usually skeptical of science. [Examiner.com]
¶ Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy, is resigning his post. [Boston Globe]
¶ The NRC is accusing Exelon of being deliberately deceptive for several years about on the condition of its decommissioning funds. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
geoharvey 
February 4, 2013 at 11:23 am
Regarding the first item under the US, see also this ironic indirect undermining of emissions:
[From http://www.rtcc.org/us-shale-gas-revolution-sparks-eu-coal-boom/%5D
North America’s fracking revolution pushed down US natural gas prices to 10-year lows last spring, prompting electricity generators to switch to gas from coal. Unwanted at home, US coal increasingly found its way on to European markets, where it has displaced more expensive gas as a feedstock for power stations. (Financial Times)
February 4, 2013 at 11:24 am
Sorry, my end-bracket messed up the link. The correct link is
http://www.rtcc.org/us-shale-gas-revolution-sparks-eu-coal-boom/