BBC News

First there was the "one-child" rule. Now China attempts to do to consumption what it did to population growth -- stem it, in this case by raising the "consumption tax".

In Brussels, one house brimming over with green technology may hold the answers to many of Europe's energy concerns.

The wireless internet access areas encourage users to emerge from their homes and go online in more public places.

India's Supreme Court has approved the controversial sale of prime government-owned land in the heart of the financial capital, Mumbai.

The Associated Press has released video and transcripts showing that President Bush was briefed well in advance that the levees in New Orleans could be breached.

It might be a good idea to avoid Shades of Death Road on your way to Divorce Court.

A UK based town planning agency has been asked to look at the future of Najaf in Iraq.

Recent data shows that the Greenland icecap is melting nearly twice as fast as previously thought, making the previous melt estimate of 1,000 years seem far too generous -- an ominous sign for those planning oceanside development.

Built in the 1980s, a Canadian experimental station in the Bay of Fundy is one of the few operational tidal power plants in the world.

Millions of rural Chinese have moved to the largest cities, seeking jobs, but without formal access or rights to services. Chinese officials are concerned that the unequal treatment of urban and rural residents may lead to social instability.

The Russian town of Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye will focus on attracting 30,000 of the country's wealthiest residents.

Italy selects a firm to build the $5.3 billion contract to build the world's longest suspension bridge, link Sicily to the mainland.

The BBC reports that city officials plan to rethink the urban geography of New Orleans in order to make it stronger and better than ever.

The tech-savvy are using mapping and satellite images from Google to map the devastaton caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Tourists in southern Spain can rent electric cars with an on-board computer that pulls up relevant information about tourist landmarks.

A BBC documentary offers lessons to be learned from 17th Century farming practices.

High oil prices will have an effect on public transit, the cost of manufacturing and the price consumers pay for a host of products.

At 154 floors, the $900-million Dubai Tower will eclipse Taiwan's Taipei 101 by more than a third.

Nevada's desert oasis is facing serious water issues -- most of which are caused by residents.

Planning for the challenges facing tomorrow's cities will require a "re-think" of the way we build as a species.