BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has authorized imports of a genetically modified (GM) soybean type for sale across its 27 national markets for the next 10 years, the European Commission said on Thursday.

Developed and marketed by Monsanto, the soybean is destined for use in food and animal feed, not for growing. It is a second-generation GM product known by its code number MON 89788 and commercially as Roundup RReady2Yield.

Toshiba has developed a new lithium-ion battery called SCiB (or Super Charge Ion Battery) which can charge to 90% capacity in 5 minutes. The life cycle of the new battery is more than 10 years even if it is rapidly charged and discharged many times. The battery is also mucher safer than other types of lithium ion batteries, which are potential fire hazards.

[JAKARTA] Indonesia has launched its Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS) and hopes to become the Indian Ocean tsunami warning provider by 2011.

The new system can warn of an impending tsunami within five minutes of an earthquake and uses new technologies that differ from previous systems, according to its developers.

Electric car company Better Place said on Tuesday it plans to develop a $200 million to $250 million electric car network in Hawaii, the latest market to join such efforts to cut global warming carbon emissions and pricey fuel imports.

With all the recent hullabaloo about the new greener Macbook, it's easy to forget that there have been some green computers out on the market for some time, and that they address areas that Apple has not. While Apple is to be applauded for their efforts, there are other companies that take green computing further:

The modern era of recycling began in the meandering wake of the Mobro 4000. The infamous garbage barge spent much of 1987 traveling up and down the eastern seaboard looking for a place to dump its 3000-ton load of New York trash. It was refused at every port. By the time the spurned vessel returned to Long Island, still ferrying its fetid cargo, it had become the poster child for what was trumpeted as a national crisis: dwindling landfill space.

Asia Pacific Automotive Insights, December 1, 2008 - China's Ministry of Science and Technology is veering away from its previous preference for clean diesel as an alternative fuel of choice and is moving towards hybrids, according to Automotive News. An advisor to the ministry claims that Minister Wan Gang is 'very much in favour of hybrid technology', as it provides a stepping stone to the use of all-electric cars.

A super-efficient system that has the potential to power, heat and cool homes across the UK is being developed at Newcastle University.

It works by burning vegetable oil to power a generator and provide electricity for the home. The waste heat from this process is then used to provide heating and hot water and is also converted to cool a fridge.

I recently had the chance to test two state-of-the-art LED light bulbs fromEarthLED. LED bulbs have many advantages over incandescents and compact fluorescent: LEDs use very little power, they last 10 years or more, and they contain no hazardous substances. They are also tough: they can be dropped and turned off and on repeated without damage, they can operate in very cold or warm temperatures.

Despite plunging gas prices, the auto industry's move to greener and more fuel-efficient technology appears to be gaining momentum with a growing number of manufacturers betting on a market for cars, trucks and crossovers running entirely on battery power.

The transformation is being driven home at the Los Angeles Auto Show which runs until the end of the week and showcases a new focus on "electrification,"