Energy in America

___ Fed leaves its key rate unchanged but hints of future cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged but signaled that it's prepared to start cutting rates if needed to protect the U.S. economy from trade conflicts and other threats.

Two of the world's largest coal producers have announced they will combine mining operations in Wyoming and Colorado in an attempt to improve their competitiveness against growing competition from natural gas and renewable energy sources.

After weeks of swelling, U.S. crude stocks fell by 812,000 barrels last week to 482 million.

Trump administration rolls back Obama rule targeting coal-fired power plants, issues less ambitious replacement.

Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday on optimism about trade after President Donald Trump said he will talk with the Chinese leader later this month in Japan.

Stocks rose sharply in early trading on Wall Street Tuesday, following big gains in Europe, as investors got back their appetite for risk.

An alliance of large marijuana businesses has a message for the public: We're good corporate citizens.

A California utility blamed for igniting several wildfires that killed dozens and destroyed thousands of homes has agreed to pay $1 billion to local governments.

This year off to a bright start for solar companies.

Canada's federal government has once again approved the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion that would nearly triple the flow of oil from the Alberta oil sands to the Pacific Coast.

Enbridge Energy's plan to replace an aging crude oil pipeline that runs through northern Minnesota hit another obstacle Tuesday when two state agencies said they would hold up approval of the project's permits until problems with its environmental review are resolved.

Cyprus' president says he believes the European Union will take a tougher line against Turkey over its bid to drill for gas in waters where the east Mediterranean island nation has exclusive economic rights.

German industrial equipment maker Siemens says it is cutting 2,700 jobs globally at its power and gas company as it seeks to make cost savings.

Rising tensions in the Middle East after last week's tanker attacks, with the U.S. planning to send more troops to the Middle East, also lent support.

Asian stocks were mixed on Tuesday as caution set in ahead of interest rate decisions by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks.

U.S. stocks edged higher in early trading on Wall Street Monday following two weeks of gains.

The Latest on Oregon's cap and trade proposal (all times local): 8:30 p.m.

Oregon is on the precipice of becoming the second state after California to adopt a cap-and-trade program, a market-based approach to lowering the greenhouse gas emissions behind global warming.

Enbridge Inc. said Monday that it is moving ahead with the collection of rock and soil samples in the Straits of Mackinac while it prepares for a court battle with Michigan's governor over a planned oil pipeline tunnel there.

As lights turned back on across Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay after a massive blackout hit tens of millions people, authorities were still largely in the dark about what caused the collapse of the interconnected grid and tallied the damage from the unforeseen disaster.