News bites: BP says Halliburton destroyed evidence, the latest from the UN climate talks, and more

The Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette breaks the news of a settlement in the Upper Big Branch mining disaster.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the natural-gas boom is fueling concerns about the industry’s demand for water.

Bloomberg reports that BP is accusing cement contractor Halliburton of destroying evidence related to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The Associated Press has the latest from the United Nations climate talks in Durban, South Africa, noting the “decisive” phase of the talks begins Tuesday.

The Wall Street Journal reports that China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, “gave a jolt to United Nations-led climate talks by appearing to call for binding emissions cuts.”

But the European Union feels that China is “creating confusion with its stance in climate negotiations as it doesn’t specify what binding terms it would accept in a potential international agreement,” Dow Jones reports.

Reuters reports on draft documents from the climate talks showing that “cash raised by the shipping industry's efforts to cut carbon emissions might be directed to developing countries to help them tackle climate change.”