Durban may be where seeds of new climate plan are planted, or where current one meets its doom

DURBAN, South Africa — As a global climate conference enters the home stretch, it’s likely that the 194 nations represented will reach some consensus on how to respond to the emissions that are warming the planet.

U.S. should support Brazil’s Security Council bid

President Obama will be warmly greeted by huge crowds in Brazil when he arrives March 19 for the beginning of a Latin American tour, but only modest progress can be expected on the agenda of foreign-policy problems confronting the two countries. There is only one thing that could dramatically elevate the significance of Obama’s visit — the U.S. president’s unambiguous endorsement of Brazil for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.