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SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A U.S. agency said Friday it will nominate the vast, federally protected wildlife refuge in the Okefenokee Swamp for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Okefenokee refuge covers more than 90% of the swamp and is the largest national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River. Designation as a World Heritage site wouldn't impose any added restrictions or regulations for the Okefenokee. Ossoff said a World Heritage site designation would have both environmental and economic benefits for the Okefenokee and surrounding Georgia communities. Conservationists sounded doubtful that the World Heritage site nomination would directly affect the decisions of Georgia regulators.

Persons: Kim Bednarek, ”, Elise Bennett, It’s, Buddy Carter, Democratic Sen, Jon Ossoff, Ossoff, Deb Haaland, “ They’re, Ben Prater, Bednarek Organizations: —, UNESCO, National Park Service, U.S, of Liberty, UNESCO's World, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, Center for Biological Diversity, Fish and Wildlife Service, Republican, Democratic, U.S . Interior Department, Twin Pines Minerals, of Wildlife Locations: SAVANNAH, Ga, U.S, Washington, Georgia, Florida, blackwater, Yellowstone, Yosemite, ”, Arizona, of, Ohio, Mississippi, Caribbean, Twin Pines

☆ Texas farmers are getting hammered by volatile weather events, making it harder for many to make a living
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Texas' citrus farmers have a nickname for a deep freeze that struck in February 2021: the Valentine's Day Massacre. The deep freeze was the second disaster in two years to hit Southeast Texas. As for the deep freeze, any temperature below 28 degrees Fahrenheit is devastating for citrus trees, Murden said. That was nearly cut in half during the 2020-21 season, according to data compiled by the Texas Valley Citrus Committee. A hurricane followed by a deep freeze ruined portions of Murden's grapefruit orchard.

Persons: Dale Murden, Hurricane Hanna, Murden, Jason Garza, Hanna, There's, there'll, it'll Organizations: Hurricane, NOAA, The Texas Tribune, Texas, Citrus Committee, M, Amistad Locations: Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Southeast Texas, Harlingen , Texas, Rio Grande, Rio, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico

☆ This Montana college town ranks No. 1 as the most fun city for young people—what it's like to live there
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Jennifer Liu | In Jljenniferliu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The metro area around Missoula, Montana, ranked No. Tucked away in western Montana is America's most fun city for young adults. "There are so many big names, it doesn't make sense for how big the area is," Tong says. Don't miss: These are the top 10 states for young workers to find jobs, live affordably and have funMissoula ranks No. Tong says one big misconception of living in Missoula is that college students are everywhere, but she hasn't found that to be the case.

Persons: DeJohn, Jaclyn DeJohn, Sturgell, Tong, Brandon Sturgell, Summer Tong, Bon Iver, Jimmy Eat, Elton John, hasn't, we've Organizations: University of Montana's, MIT, Wilma Theatre downtown, Missoula, CNBC Locations: Missoula, Missoula , Montana, Montana, U.S, Tulsa, Okla, Mont, Portland ,, Denver

☆ These are the 50 best hotels in the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Isabella Lok | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The best hotel in the world is Passalacqua, an 18th century villa on the edge of Italy's Lake Como. That's according to the 50 Best organization, which announced the results of "The World's 50 Best Hotels" in London on Tuesday. The villa hotel is the former home of composer Vincenzo Bellini and sits among seven acres of terraced gardens. Rates start at $1,300 per night, according to the 50 Best organization. The list marks the first time that 50 Best organization is delving into hotel rankings, though it's been ranking "The World's 50 Best Restaurants" and "The World's 50 Best Bars" for years.

Persons: Vincenzo Bellini, it's Locations: Italy's, Como, That's, London

The U.S. homeowner’s insurance industry has had three straight years of underwriting losses, according to credit rating agency AM Best. Record numbers of Americans are now insured through state-affiliated “insurers of last resort” like California’s FAIR Plan, or Louisiana or Florida’s Citizens property insurance companies. These programs were designed to insure properties where private insurance companies have refused to insure or the price for private insurance is too expensive. In Florida, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. now has 1.4 million homeowners’ policies in effect, nearly triple in five years. “It used to be homeowner's insurance was an afterthought when you are looking at buying a property.

Persons: you’re, ”, California Sen, Bill Dodd, Jeremy Porter, Fannie Mae, Todd Bevington, “ I’ve, Jen Goodlin, ‘, ’ ”, “ We’ve, ” Dodd, Dodd, Porter, Guy Carpenter, Lara Mowery, Mowery, ” Mowery, That’s, ” Bevington, Adam Beam, Janie Har Organizations: First Street Foundation, Bank of America, Treasury Department, Paradise, FAIR, Citizens Property Insurance Corp, Farm, Allstate, National Flood Insurance, Swiss, Munich Re, Hurricane Locations: California, Florida, Louisiana, Lahaina, Vermont, Maine, New York, U.S, “, Paradise, Northern California, Colorado, Munich, New Orleans, Gulf, Asheland, N.C, Sacramento, Calif, San Francisco

☆ Ukraine’s counteroffensive may be painful. But its success is crucial to wider European security
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Nick Paton Walsh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Imagine these sorts of risk, and the men and women enduring its nerve-wracking toll nightly, when you next hear talk of the progress of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. But make no mistake: this is perhaps the most important moment for European security since the Berlin Wall fell, or even 1945. Ukraine’s forces are nowhere near where they hoped they would be as fall draws in. Russian President Vladimir Putin is presumably counting on winter to strengthen his position. It was the rationale behind not supplying Ukraine with longer-range missiles that could strike Crimea or Russian territory bordering Ukraine.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Oliver Weiken, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, – Putin, Kim Jong Un, Klaus Iohannis, it’s Organizations: CNN, Ministry of Defense, Marines, Bradley, Washington, Republican, North, Kremlin, NATO Locations: Orikhiv, Robotyne, Mariupol, New York, Tokmak, Crimea, Russia, Kherson, Moscow, Russian, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Ukrainian, European, Ukraine, China, Romania, Bulgaria, Tyulenovo

☆ China says more harsh weather in store after tornado kills five
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The latest incident in weeks of destructive and deadly weather spurred authorities to call for vigilance against strong winds in coastal areas near the Yellow Sea off Jiangsu. Tuesday's tornado was brief but fierce, with social media images showing overturned cars, downed power lines and flying debris, much of which littered the streets of Suqian, a city in the north of the province. [1/2]A view shows a tornado in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China, released on September 19, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Weather warnings also went out on Wednesday for the southwestern region of Chongqing, several areas in southwestern Guizhou, southern Hunan, eastern Anhui and central Hubei. Reporting by Bernard Orr and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Haikui, Bernard Orr, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Weibo, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Jiangsu, Tuesday's, Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hunan, Anhui, Hubei, Shanghai

☆ We left Florida because our homeowners insurance ballooned to $12,000. We walked away from everything we knew so our kids could have a future.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

They fled to Wisconsin after their homeowners insurance premium doubled, seeing no end in sight. Natalia: In 2016 my husband and I purchased the home I grew up in in Plantation, Florida, from my parents. After the roof, we got a quote from the statewide insurance, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt was just kind of like you're walking, you're walking, you're walking with your head down, and then when you finally look up, you realize you're lost. John: We haven't paid insurance yet, but all our neighbors tell us that insurance is about $1,200 a year.

Persons: Natalia, John, It's, we're, FPL Organizations: Service, Property Insurance Corporation, Florida Power, Wisconsin Dells, . Wisconsin, Olive Photography Locations: Florida, Wisconsin, Wall, Silicon, Plantation , Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Dell Prairie , Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Miami, That's, Dell, Plantation, South Florida, ., . Wisconsin Dells , Wisconsin, Disney

☆ Disney CEO says company will 'quiet the noise' in culture wars -analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Items with a rainbow-coloured design are seen in a Pride section of a gift shop at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 20 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) CEO Bob Iger told investors the company will "quiet the noise" in a culture war that has pitted social conservatives against the global media and entertainment conglomerate, according to an analyst note on Wednesday. Iger previously said the company planned to spend $17 billion in investment at Walt Disney World over the next 10 years. At the time, Iger was responding to an investor who said the company was becoming too concerned with social issues. “Our primary mission needs to be to entertain ... and to have a positive impact on the world,” Iger said at the time.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Laura Martin, Disney, Wall, Ron DeSantis, “, Iger, Halle, Ariel, ” Iger, Dawn Chmielewski, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Walt Disney, REUTERS, Needham, Walt Disney World, Disney, ESPN, Central, Universal Orlando, Parks, Pixar Animation, Thomson Locations: Orlando , Florida, U.S, Florida, Central Florida, Halle Bailey, Los Angeles

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The tiny Pacific island nation of Niue has come up with a novel plan to protect its vast and pristine territorial waters — it will get sponsors to pay. “Niue is just one island in the middle of the big blue ocean,” Tagelagi said. It's one of the smallest countries in the world, dwarfed by an ocean territory 1,200 times larger than its land mass. Under the plan, the sponsorship money — called Ocean Conservation Commitments — will be administered by a charitable trust. Simon Thrush, a professor of marine science at New Zealand's University of Auckland who was not involved in the plan, said it sounded positive.

Persons: Dalton Tagelagi, Tagelagi, ” Tagelagi, Niueans, we've, —, Lyna Lam, Chris Larsen, Maël, ” Imirizaldu, Simon Thrush, ” Thrush, I'd Organizations: Niue's, Associated Press, Agriculture Organization, Conservation International, Blue Nature Alliance, New Zealand's University of Auckland Locations: WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Niue, New York, U.S

☆ Side-by-side photos show 4 major changes made to SpaceX's Starship rocket system after its first launch ended in an explosion
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Marianne Guenot | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementMore than a thousand changes have been made to the rocket since and it is now "ready to launch" again Musk recently said. SpaceX's enormous Starship mega-rocket is made of two stages: the Starship spaceship and its booster, the Super Heavy booster. The Starship-Super Heavy launch system is made up of two stages. Instead, for Starship's maiden test flight, SpaceX decided to see if they could absorb the force of the flames with a thick concrete launchpad alone. The FAA will still need to review the changes made to the Starship launch system before it can grant a new license.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, it's, Abhi Tripathi, Starship's, Tripathi, Ashlee Vance, Vance, hushes, —, SpaceX's, LabPadre, SpaceX hasn't, It's, April's, Polly Trottenberg, Jared M, Margolis Organizations: SpaceX, Service, NASA, Super, Mission, University of California's, Sciences Laboratory, Flight Safety, FAA, Bloomberg, Boca Chica, CNBC, Texas Commission, Environmental, Center for Biological Diversity Locations: Wall, Silicon, Starship's, Boca Chica , Texas

☆ Disney to nearly double parks spending to $60 billion over 10 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sept 19 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) said on Tuesday it would nearly double its capital expenditure for its parks business to about $60 billion over the next 10 years. Disney CEO Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro, the company's parks chief, announced the accelerated pace of investment at a gathering of Wall Street analysts and investors at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, focused on the company's parks business. Parks have become a reliable profit engine for Disney and has helped cushion losses in the Disney+ streaming business, which is expected to become profitable only next year. The announcement of the planned investment followed a slowdown at Walt Disney World in Orlando, as attendance surges at its parks around the world, particularly Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland. Disney also plans to nearly double the capacity of its cruise line, adding two ships in fiscal 2025 and another in 2026.

Persons: Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Josh D'Amaro, Parks, Iger, Disney, Ron DeSantis, Mario Anzuoni, Paul Verna, Thomas Hayes, Samrhitha, Dawn Chmielewski, Shailesh Kuber, Chizu Nomiyama, Paul Simao, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Disney, Wall Street, Walt Disney World, Disney California, Hollywood Studios, Republican, REUTERS, Insider Intelligence, Walt Disney, Shanghai Disney Resort, Great, Thomson Locations: Orlando , Florida, California, Orlando, Florida, Anaheim , California, U.S, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Great Hill, Bengaluru, Dawn, Los Angeles

New York CNN —Disney is greatly expanding its investment into theme parks and cruises, the company said Tuesday. The investment comes at a time the company is facing revenue challenges in its streaming services, movie and television assets — almost everywhere but its international theme parks. The theme park, which was announced in 2019, is set to include restaurants, hotels and, of course, rides. It will become the third theme park within the Universal Orlando Resort, stepping up its rivalry with Walt Disney World’s four theme parks. Trouble at homeDisney said Tuesday that it is focused on “expanding and enhancing” its theme parks, in the US and internationally, along with its cruise lines.

Persons: That’s, Walt Disney, Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Alicia Stella, didn’t, ”, Josh D’Amaro, Wakanda, Disney, Horacio Villalobos, Corbis, Kevin Lansberry, Bob Iger, ” Iger, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, “ Disney, Stella Organizations: New, New York CNN, Disney, Disney Parks, SEC, Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando Sentinel, Tribune, Service, Star Wars, Getty, Parks, Walt Disney, Florida Governor Locations: New York, Parks, Orlando , Florida, Orlando, Anaheim , California, Asia, ”, Florida

In the week ended Sept. 12, money managers expanded their net short position in CBOT corn futures and options to 134,909 contracts from 93,913 a week earlier. That marked funds’ most bearish corn stance since mid-August 2020, when CBOT corn was trading below $3.50 per bushel. Most-active corn futures have traded below $5 since Aug. 21, and they fell 2% in the week ended Sept. 12. Managed money net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsCorn dropped to $4.73-1/2 per bushel on Sept. 12, tying mid-August for the lowest price since December 2020. Most-active CBOT wheat shed 2% in the week ended Sept. 12, dropping to the lowest price since December 2020.

Persons: Lucas Jackson, Corn, Bean, soyoil, Karen Braun, Diane Craft Organizations: Carbon Solutions, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Department, Agriculture, Futures, Funds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Defiance, Shelby County , Iowa, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, U.S, soymeal, Ukraine, Russia

Farmers across the agrarian heartland that makes Thailand the world's second-largest rice exporter should be poised to benefit. These pressures on the sector, reported in detail for the first time by Reuters, are squeezing debt-laden Thai farmers despite tens of billions of dollars in subsidies over the past decade. Successive governments have spent 1.2 trillion Thai baht ($33.85 billion) on price and income interventions for rice farmers in the last decade, estimates Somporn. The average Thai farmer's income has dwindled. Unstable income for Thai rice farmersIn the years since Sripai followed her family into the paddy fields, the challenges have multiplied, but current prices offer a rare opportunity.

Persons: Somporn, Sripai, Danai Saengthabthim, Srettha Thavisin, King Chulalongkorn, Nipon Poapongsakorn, Thailand's, KNIT's, Yingluck Shinawatra, Yingluck, Devjyot Ghoshal, Pasit, Katerina Ang, Kay Johnson Organizations: Farmers, Reuters, Research, Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand, Bank for Agriculture, Agricultural Cooperatives, Agriculture, El, National Water Resources, Thailand Development Research, Nipon, Thomson Locations: Thailand, Kaeo, Chai, India, East, Asia, Africa, Rice, Chai Nat, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam

☆ Tupac, Cocaine, Murder: Henchmen Brothers, Hip-Hop's Forgotten Moguls
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

Mario called Tupac. All he could do was listen to her cry as he explained that he didn't know when he'd be back. He didn't speak Spanish, didn't know a soul in Mexico, and had no clue where he would be sent. Mario didn't ask why, and the guy didn't inquire about Mario's predicament. "It's all good, man," Mario told Jimmy.

Persons: Mario Rosemond, Rosemond, Jimmy, Mario, Akon, Sean Kingston, Gucci Mane, Jimmy Rosemond —, Lowell, Lodi Mack, Fletcher, Tupac Shakur, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Jimmy Rosemond, Saul Goodman, Tommy Davis, Mario stammered, It's, Jimmy Jr, Andrea, Constantin, Johnny Nunez, Rikers, —, Slick, Russell Simmons, Benny Medina, Lyor Cohen, Chris Lighty, Mona Scott, Mark Sparks, Shoop, Paul Bergen, Bryce Wilson, Wilson, Mohammed, Tef, Stewart, Little Shawn, Puff Daddy, Pac, Freddie Moore, Moore, Al Pereira, would've, Jimmy wasn't, They'd, didn't, Jimmy didn't, —, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Wyclef Jean, Garland, Cyrus, THONY BELIZAIRE, Mariah Carey, LL, Missy Elliott, Cent, Tef Stewart, Jimmy Rosemond Jr, Jimmy Sr, Khalil Abdullah, Jimmy Iovine, determinedly, DJ Skee, Mario couldn't, Mario chuckles, he'd, GummyBone, Mario didn't, I'm, freckling, he's, isn't, I've, Jim Brown, Michael K, Williams, Donald Trump, Arturo Holmes, Scott Olson, Trump, Brown, James Rosemond Jr, David Kushner Organizations: FBI, Entertainment, Justice Department, Bronx ., Quad Studios, AP, grandad, Wall, Black Panthers, Junior Mafia, Hollywood, Haiti, Management, Apollo, Lowell, Racing, Interscope Records, Interscope, Feds, Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, Colombian, York Post, Drug, Administration, NFL, Trump, Stone, Atari Locations: Mexico, Haiti, Brooklyn, Bronx, Cuernavaca, Spanish, Rahway , New Jersey, Port, New York City, Vanderveer Estates, East Flatbush, Rikers, Islam, Miami Beach, New York, New Jersey, East Coast, West Coast, Plainfield , New Jersey, Brandy, Los Angeles, Czar's, Harlem, LA, California, Beverly Hills, San, Tijuana, Mexico City, Colombian, San Diego, Manhattan

☆ The billionaire son of H&M's founder owns a sprawling English country estate with over 100 cottages, a distillery, and a pub that sells his own beer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Stefan Persson, the son of H&M's founder, owns a 19,000-acre country estate in southern England. In 1997, Persson splurged some of his fortunes on a 3,000-acre country estate in Wiltshire, southern England, which went on to become Ramsbury Estates. Ramsbury Estates has about 7,000 acres of farmland, with a focus on wheat and barley alongside a small herd of cattle. Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesLike many modern farms, Ramsbury Estates has diversified. Ramsbury Estates declined to comment on exactly what the "agency" portion of its business is comprised of.

Persons: Stefan Persson, H, Persson, Erling Persson, Stefan, Persson splurged Organizations: M's, Service, 101st, Bloomberg, Invest, –, Ramsbury Estates, Getty, Ramsbury, M Locations: England, Wall, Silicon, Sweden, Wiltshire, Ramsbury, Monki

☆ I left California and I'm never going back. I was finally able to afford a home in Georgia and it's shocking how polite people are here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Alyshia Hull | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Calli Edington and her family moved from California to Georgia. My family and I lived in a small town in northern California called Magalia, 90 miles north of Sacramento. So we packed up and moved to Douglas, Georgia because we wanted a slower pace of life, and we absolutely love it here. AdvertisementAdvertisementOur family loves Georgia and we don't see ourselves going back to California. My husband and I both worked 9-to-5 jobs in California, and we still weren't able to afford a house.

Persons: Calli Edington, Douglas, There's, It's, Alyshia Organizations: Service, Manners, Alyshia Hull Locations: California, Georgia, Wall, Silicon, Sacramento, Douglas , Georgia, Magalia, We're, Atlanta, Florida, —, ahull@insider.com

☆ Las Vegas is asking companies that want to move or expand there to show how much water they plan to use
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Las Vegas is trying to balance economic growth and water conservation. The producer plans to move to northern Las Vegas and requested $2.28 million in tax incentives from the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development. The water-investment tool works like this: First, the Southern Nevada Water Authority analyzes how much consumptive water a new or expanding company would use. Johnson said the next steps include making sure officials in every city in greater Las Vegas are using the tool in the same way. The water-investment tool builds on a long list of conservation measures in Las Vegas.

Persons: Dave Johnson, Johnson, there's, Tina Quigley, Quigley, Lake Mead Organizations: Service, revelers, Las Vegas, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Juanita's Foods, Nevada Governor's, Economic, Juanita's, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance Locations: Vegas, Colorado, California, Phoenix, Las, Las Vegas, Nevada, Lake, Arizona . Nevada, Nevada , Arizona

The rule, which takes effect in November, reverses a Trump-era action that limited the ability of states and tribes to review pipelines, dams and other federally regulated projects within their borders. The federal Clean Water Act allows states and tribes to review what effect pipelines, dams and some other federally regulated projects might have on water quality within their borders. The rule announced Thursday will shift power back to states, tribes and territories. The EPA has said states should have authority to look beyond pollution directly discharged into waterways and “holistically evaluate” the impact of a project on local water quality. Former President Donald Trump had argued that states were improperly wielding the Clean Water Act to block needed fossil fuel projects.

Persons: Biden, Radhika Fox, It’s, Fox, Sackett, Trump, Michael Regan, Donald Trump, John Roberts Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Environmental Protection Agency, Biden, EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, Corps, United, Industry Locations: — States, United States, New York, Washington

Seven years in, Country Garden has invested 20 billion ringgit ($4.3 billion) in the project, Forest City said, a far cry from the initial $100 billion plan. "Seeing is believing," Forest City said in an email response. "The land plot itself is valuable," a Singapore-based bondholder of Country Garden said, while highlighting the complications of dealing with a local government joint-venture. Last month, Malaysia's central bank said local banks had limited exposure to Country Garden amid concern about its financial stress. Anwar, Malaysia's prime minister, has designated Forest City a "special financial zone" to attract investment, which Forest City said would help with its marketing.

Persons: Foo Gee Jen, Anwar Ibrahim, Anwar, Malaysia's, Yang Ming Han, Loh, Loh Wee Loon, I'm, Xinghui Kok, Xie Yu, Anne Marie Roantree, Lincoln Organizations: ISKANDAR PUTERI, Garden, Forest, Malaysian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, ISKANDAR, Malaysia, Garden's, City, Johor, Singapore, Forest City, Malaysian, Forest, Loh Wee, China, Johor Sultan, Iskandar Puteri, Kuala Lumpur, Yantoultra, Hong Kong

☆ Affordable Housing Crisis in US West: Why It's Hard to Build New Homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Kyle Paoletta | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

The solution to keep prices under control seems fairly simple: Just build more housing. For a time, sprawl boosted housing supply and accommodated newcomers to the West: Nearly 60 million more people live in the region now compared with the 1950s. Running out of landWhen the economy crashed in 2008, housing construction screeched to a halt. All this red tape has caused a serious slowdown in much-needed housing construction. Build, build, buildDespite the unique challenges of building in the paradoxically wide-open West, some cities have been able to break through.

Persons: Mike Segrest, Megan Lawson, Kyle Stevens, Carrier Johnson, “, Lawson, Land Management . Nevada Sen, Catherine Cortez Masto, Kyle Roerink, Hillary Schieve, Schieve, Howard Blackson, Kyle Paoletta's Organizations: Forest Service, Southern Ute, Marin Headlands, Bureau, Land Management ., Water Network, Biggest, Biggest Little City, Housing Administration, Harper's Magazine, New York Magazine, Oasis Locations: Colorado, Durango ., it's, Animas, San Juan Mountains, Durango, Las Vegas, Montana, Houston, Minneapolis, Rocky, Phoenix, Denver, Mississippi, San Diego, San Jose , California, Marin County, San Francisco, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Jackson , Wyoming, California, Land Management . Nevada, Vegas, Reno , Nevada, Reno, Cumulatively, Biggest Little, Summit, Washington

☆ US oil and gas producer CrownRock to explore $10 bln-plus sale -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( David French | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 13 (Reuters) - CrownRock LP is preparing to explore a sale that could value it at well over $10 billion including debt, people familiar with the matter said, in what could be the largest deal for a U.S. oil and gas producer going back at least three years. The sources cautioned that no deal is certain and requested anonymity because the matter is confidential. It also underscores how coveted spots are in the lucrative Permian basin, the largest U.S. oilfield, where CrownRock operates. Credit ratings agency Fitch said in December 2021 that CrownRock had more than 15 years of oil and gas to extract in its prime drilling locations. CrownRock is led by Dunn, who - through his family's CrownQuest Operating LLC - rolled his previous oil and gas assets into the partnership with Lime Rock.

Persons: Timothy Dunn, Fitch, CrownRock, Dunn, David French, Diane Craft Organizations: Exxon Mobil Corp, Chevron Corp, Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Concho Resources, CrownRock, Competition, Lime Rock Partners, Lime, Thomson Locations: U.S, Texas, Midland, dealmaking, New York

☆ House passes bill to improve wildfire prevention accountability after NBC News report
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Adiel Kaplan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A wildfire burns on the island of Maui near an intersection in Lahaina, Hawaii, August 9, 2023. A bill to improve how the federal government tracks wildfire prevention work passed the House in a near-unanimous 406-4 vote on Wednesday, a month after the nation's deadliest wildfire in over 100 years killed at least 115 people in Hawaii. A 2022 NBC News investigation found that the United States Forest Service had overstated how much land it treats to reduce wildfire risk by an estimated 21% over a 15-year period. Tiffany, chairman of the House Natural Resources committee's federal lands subcommittee, cited NBC News' reporting when he introduced the bill. The bill applies to hazardous fuel reduction done by federal land management agencies, which mostly work on federally owned land.

Persons: Tom Tiffany, I'm, Tiffany, Sen, Joe Manchin, John Barrasso Organizations: NBC, United States Forest Service, Natural Resources, Service, Interior Department, Senate Energy, Natural Resources Committee Locations: Maui, Lahaina , Hawaii, Hawaii, Lahaina, California, Paradise

☆ A Viable Alternative to Conventional Lawn? Cornell May Have Found One.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Margaret Roach | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It’s a grail of contemporary horticulture, a subject of inquiry for scientists and landscape designers alike: how to reinvent the estimated 40 million acres of lawn in the United States, shifting the emphasis toward native plants. Because traditional lawn care is, at its essence, a perpetual fight against biodiversity, a war conducted with mower blades and chemicals. All of the numbers — the gallons of water wasted, the tons of pollution generated — tell us to stop. But what should replace all of that mowed grass? The answer is not easy.

Locations: United States

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