LONDON - GOOGLE is soon to roll out free software which allows consumers to track their home electricity use and improve energy efficiency in a bid to help mitigate global warming.

Dan Reicher, Director for Climate Change and Energy Initiatives Google, told Reuters it was in talks with utilities companies in the US, Europe and Asia to make the product available shortly to general consumers.

WASHINGTON - VIDEOGAME startup Gazillion Entertainment announced an agreement with Marvel Entertainment on Tuesday to develop online videogames featuring iconic superheroes such as Iron Man and Wolverine.

California-based Gazillion said in a statement that Marvel characters would feature in massively multiplayer online (MMO) games under development.

TROMSOE (Norway) - COUNTRIES around the Arctic must commit to curbing climate change to ensure the survival of the polar bear, Norway's environment minister said Tuesday as an international meeting opened on the species' fate.

'The principal threat to polar bears now is coming from climate change,' Erik Solheim told representatives of the five countries that ring the Arctic - Canada, Denmark (with Greenland), Norway, Russia and the United States.