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A mock explosion, fire and oil spill in the Houston Ship Channel -- a lifeline for the nation's busy energy industry -- provided a test this week for federal, state and local agencies and their ability to work together in the event of a terrorist attack.

High gas prices have set off calls for conservation and investigation of price gouging. But among residents of Arizona, high gas prices have also provoked some less predictable reactions.

Government inspections of gas pumps in Seattle have found that many pumps deliver too little or too much gas to the customer. Tim Douglas, an inspector for the Seattle Consumer Affairs Weights and Measures Office, says that although the margin of error is pretty slim, the costs can add up over time.

One of the Broadway season's most anticipated productions, a revival of The Threepenny Opera, opens with a high-profile cast. Almost 80 years after its Berlin premiere, the Brecht-Weill cabaret musical retains the power to shock and surprise.

As Congress resumes its debate over whether to increase federal standards for fuel efficiency in passenger cars, some heavy hitters are weighing in against new regulations.

NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz quizzes one of our listeners, and has a challenge for everyone at home.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a short-term fix for a staggeringly expensive problem: Every year, more than 850 billion gallons of sewage flows into the nation's rivers, lakes and bays.

The Senate began considering President Bush's comprehensive energy proposal on Tuesday. The debate is expected to continue for weeks. Democrats argue that it does not do enough to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil.

The price of a barrel of oil briefly topped $67 Friday, setting an all-time record. Oil prices have been rising in the past two months due to strong demand, refining capacity shortages and concerns about stability in Saudi Arabia. High energy prices contributed to a jump in the U.S. trade deficit in June.

The U.S. government has spent billions of dollars cleaning up highly toxic plutonium waste in Hanford, Wash., where much of the fuel for the nation's nuclear weapons was produced. Over budget and behind schedule, the project has ground to a halt. Some worry the government will give up on cleaning up the site completely.