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CHANNELVIEW, Texas — For nearly 20 years, Texas environmental regulators have kept a disturbing secret. AdvertisementTexas Community Health News; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality"Any exposure to a carcinogen increases your risk of developing cancer. AdvertisementTim Doty, a former TCEQ mobile air monitoring expert, at the industrial edge of River Terrace Park in Channelview, Texas. In fact, the agency rarely fines companies that violate Texas air pollution laws. Mark FelixHoneycutt's toxicology division soon took an even more dramatic step to weaken Texas' benzene guidelines.

Persons: Loren Hopkins, Hopkins, Mark Felix, TCEQ, AirToxScreen, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee, Tim Doty, Doty, Solv, He'd, Glenn Shankle, Kelly Keel, Todd Riddle, Riddle, Lopez, Joe Lopez, Dora, Joel Lopez, Randy Lopez, It's, Joel, Felix Benzene, wildcatters, Houston —, Forbes, Lorenzo de Zavala, Alison Cohen, Cohen, Tim Doty's, Houston Mayor Bill White, Shankle, Michael Honeycutt, Valerie Meyers, Meyers, Mark Felix Meyers, Richard Hyde, John Sadlier, Ryder, Hyde, hadn't, Russell Allen, Matt Baker, Jacintoport, Cloelle Danforth, Public Health Watch —, Danforth, Mark Felix Honeycutt's, Eric Schaeffer, Schaeffer, Honeycutt, Jim Tarr, polluters, upended, Mark Felix Fracking, Barnett, Glenn Shankle —, —, Rick Perry, Perry, Sadlier, David Bower, misstep, Baker, Bower, Michael Burgess, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Mark Felix Meanwhile, Randy, That's, Carolyn Stone, Stone, Carolyn Stone's, Mark Felix The, Cynthia Benson, Benson, Mark Felix Tim Doty, Mark Felix K, Jordan Gass Organizations: Public Health Watch, Texas Commission, Environmental, American Petroleum Institute, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Navy, Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, General, Health, Public Health, Rice University, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Community Health, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney, polluters, Mark Felix Public Health, TCEQ, Solv, Mark Felix Public Health Watch, myelodysplasia, Houston, Oil, Gas Watch, Texas, Houston Ship, University of California, Houston Mayor, ., . Texas Community Health, NASA, Exxon Mobil, Public, Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Management, Civil, Air Alliance Houston, Republican, Fort, United, Texas toxicologist, EPA, Texas Tribune, Google, Land Office, . Geological Survey, National Oceanic, Firefighters, U.S . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Channelview, Improvement Coalition, Health Watch, San Jacinto, K, Texas Legislature, Solv Group, Services Locations: , Texas, Texas, Houston, Channelview's Jacintoport, San Jacinto, California, Jacintoport, Channelview , Texas, AirToxScreen Harris County, Channelview, Harris County, United States, North Channelview, Gulf, Terrace, Joel's, Houston , Texas, Spindletop, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Port of Houston, San Francisco, . Texas, That's, polluters, lacquers, Dallas, Fort Worth, Fort Worth City, Austin, Round, Minnesota, Galveston, U.S

State officials said Friday they were monitoring the air for traces of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, but there had been no detection of those substances at the derailment site or the nearby town of Livingston since Thursday morning. McCann said an access road has been built to reach the derailment area and a handful of crashed train cars have been removed. The CSX train derailed around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near Livingston, a remote town with about 200 people in Rockcastle County. CSX said the cause of the derailment and what caused the sulfur to ignite are still under investigation. Officials said they are also monitoring water quality in the area but a nearby creek is dried up and doesn't have moving water.

Persons: “ We’re, Joe McCann, McCann Organizations: CSX, Energy, Environment Cabinet, Environmental Protection Agency Locations: LIVINGSTON, Ky, Kentucky, Livingston, Rockcastle County

☆ A migrant had just crossed the border when he found a scared, 9-year-old boy who needed help. The encounter changed them both
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Catherine E. Shoichet | Thomas Lake | After Days Of Hiding Authorities | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

Chris Buchleitner and his mother, Dawn Tomko, went on many camping trips together, like the one shown here. With help on the way, Manuel could have headed on for Tucson or Phoenix. The local fire chief gave him a small stuffed horse, telling Manuel he’d been a hero in the wilderness, like the Lone Ranger. An orphaned boy moves to PennsylvaniaWhen Chris Buchleitner was still a baby, his parents made a plan for the worst-case scenario. Cordova, who now has seven children and four grandchildren, says he thought of his own children when he came across Chris Buchleitner in the Arizona wilderness.

Persons: Chris Buchleitner, van, Chris, He’d, he’d, Manuel Cordova’s, Chris doesn’t, Chris’s, Dawn Tomko, Tanner, Jade, Manuel, Manny, Magdalena de Kino, Saint Francis Xavier, Father Kino, Manuel Jesus Cordova Soberanes, Norma Jean Gargasz, Magdalena, Manuel burrowed, ” Manuel, “, who’d, Manuel Cordova, Jeffry Scott, Chris hadn’t, Manuel he’d, Michael M, Foster, Dennis DeConcini Port, Alma Lidia Soberanes, Cordova, Manuel finally, ” Manuel didn’t, Manuel hadn’t, Jack Buchleitner, —, Jack, Dawn, Mary Butera, Christopher, Mary, Vinny Butera, Austin Steele, don’t, Mexico Manuel, They’d, ”, that’s, Julian Rigg, Emmanuel Macron, Raul Grijalva, he’s, hadn’t, Eythan, they’re Organizations: CNN, Patrol, Border Patrol, Jesuit, Saint, Police, Arizona Daily Star, AP, Ranger, Rico Fire, Dennis, Duquesne University, UPMC, Coopers Rock State Forest, North, Facebook Locations: Arizona, Mexican, Mexico, Tucson, Phoenix, American, Rimrock , Arizona, Magdalena, Sonora, Nogales, Nogales , Arizona, manila, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, UPMC Shadyside, West Virginia, Washington, North, Magdalena’s, Mexicali, United States, France, Emmanuel Macron . Arizona, America

☆ UK's Hunt to cut taxes to boost economy and election prospects
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Buoyed by a fall in inflation, Hunt plans to use his Autumn Statement budget update speech to parliament to shift the government's focus to fixing the long-running weak growth problem of the world's sixth-biggest economy. The Times reported that Hunt would cut the headline rates of national insurance for around 28 million people and make tax incentives for business investment permanent. After the meltdown in British financial markets last year, triggered by the huge tax cut plans of former prime minister Liz Truss, Hunt and Sunak have promised to move carefully. Hunt and Sunak announced major tax-raising measures a year ago to assuage bond investors after Truss's mini-budget. Many analysts say that in the coming years whoever runs Britain will have to raise taxes further, not cut them.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Sunak, William Schomberg, Mark Potter Organizations: Conservative, Labour Party, The Times, Bank of England, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Thomson Locations: Britain

Sturgeon wrote that it “was so easy” to purchase the assault rifle, a Radical Firearms RF-15, from a Louisville gun store, according to the police file. He wrote that he was “very sick” and suggested that he had lied about his health to avoid further treatment or institutionalization. Another officer shot and killed the gunman in the lobby. Sturgeon was shot by an officer in the right arm twice, the left leg once and once in the head, according to the report. Investigators determined that the actions of the officer who shot Sturgeon were not criminal, the report said.

Persons: Connor Sturgeon, Sturgeon, “, ”, Lisa Sturgeon, Joshua Barrick, Deana Eckert, Tommy Elliott, Juliana Farmer, Jim Tutt Jr, Elliott, Andy Beshear, Nickolas Wilt Organizations: Louisville police, Firearms, Kentucky Gov Locations: LOUISVILLE, Ky, Louisville

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An elevated Los Angeles freeway closed for more than a week because of an arson fire reopened ahead of Monday morning's commute, at least a day earlier than previously announced and weeks ahead of the original estimate. “Welcome back, Los Angeles!” Mayor Karen Bass posted late Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter. Gavin Newsom said recent safety inspections showed the span was safe to start reopening Sunday evening and that the freeway would be “fully operational” before Monday's rush hour. State investigators repeatedly identified fire and safety hazards at a leased storage space under an elevated Los Angeles freeway before it burned in the fire, documents show. The California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, released the documents Friday.

Persons: Karen Bass, Gavin Newsom, ” Newsom, Kamala Harris, Sen, Alex Padilla, Bass, ” Bass, Padilla, Investigators, ”, Newsom, Daryl Myatt, Mainak, hasn't, Marshall, ” D’Attaray, Izzy Gordon, Gordon, —, ” Brandon Richards, Richards, Sophia Tareen Organizations: ANGELES, Twitter, Gov, California Department of Transportation, Caltrans, Cal Fire, State Fire, Apex Development Inc, Apex, Apex Development, “ Apex, CalTrans, California’s, California Department of Forestry, Associated Press Locations: Los, Los Angeles, U.S, Angeles, Apex, Chicago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — State investigators repeatedly identified fire and safety hazards at a leased storage space under an elevated Los Angeles freeway before it burned in an arson fire, documents show. Gavin Newsom said the state will reassess the practice of leasing land under roads to bring in money for mass transportation projects. Political Cartoons View All 1256 ImagesApex Development Inc. has leased the land under I-10 since 2008. In September, state officials filed a lawsuit against Apex saying it owes $78,000 in unpaid rent. Caltrans had “informed Apex Development of the need to address violations, especially those creating safety hazards,” the agency said in a statement.

Persons: ”, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Newsom, Karen Bass, Daryl Myatt, Mainak, ” D’Attaray, Marshall, Izzy Gordon, ” Brandon Richards, Richards Organizations: ANGELES, —, The California Department of Transportation, Caltrans, Authorities, Gov, Apex Development Inc, Apex, Apex Development, “ Apex, CalTrans, California’s, California Department of Forestry, Cal Fire, Caltrans “, State Fire Locations: Angeles, Los Angeles, Apex, California

☆ Opinion: In its final season, ‘The Crown’ has lost itself
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The most anticipated season of “The Crown” has arrived, and no one’s losing much sleep over the Queen this time. One of the many things that captivated viewers when “The Crown” arrived in 2016 was its cinematic scale. The lines between episodes one and three of season six, by contrast, are impossible to draw. As “The Crown” tells it, Al-Fayed’s relentless campaign to see his son Dodi and Diana engaged and thus secure British citizenship is almost as culpable for their deaths as the crash itself. Diana’s final night in Paris is rendered as the fatal culmination of Al-Fayed’s engineering of their relationship, and his pressure on Dodi to propose.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, ”, Holly Thomas Holly Thomas, Princess Diana, Elizabeth Debicki, irresistibly, Joy ”, Prince Phillip, Margaret, Diana, Prince Charles ’, Camilla Parker, Bowles, Mohamed Al, Dodi, Spencer, Diana cavorting, Margaret Thatcher, Prince Philip, Charles, paparazzo, Fayed, Harry, capitulates, Peter Morgan, Prince Charles, Salim Dau Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN, Al Locations: London, Al, Paris

☆ California wildfire, fueled by desert winds, forces evacuations
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Omar Younis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A firefighter works to extinguish the Highland Fire, a wind driven wildfire near Aguanga, California, U.S., October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake Acquire Licensing RightsTEMECULA, California, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A Southern California wildfire fueled by desert winds burned 2,487 acres (1,010 hectares) and prompted evacuation orders for more than 4,000 people in Riverside County, officials said on Tuesday. The seasonal phenomenon occurs when dry desert air blows toward the ocean, creating a fire hazard in Southern California. Some 1,220 homes and 4,270 residents were under mandatory evacuation orders, with another 1,136 homes and 3,976 residents under evacuation warnings, Cal Fire spokesperson Thomas Shoots said. Southern California has had a mild fire year in 2023, after unusually heavy rainfall that included the first tropical storm to reach heavily populated areas in the state in 84 years.

Persons: Mike Blake, Thomas Shoots, Barb Bommarito, Robert Duke, Duke, Omar Younis, Daniel Trotta, Mary Milliken, Jonathan Oatis, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Highland Fire, California Department of Forestry, Fire Protection, Fire, Cal Fire, Thomson Locations: Aguanga , California, U.S, Rights TEMECULA , California, Southern California, Riverside County, Santa, Temecula, Aguanga, Carlsbad , California

☆ Bangladesh trains collide, killing 17, wounding scores -police
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A general view of derailed compartments of train after two trains collided in Bhairab, about 80 kilometres northeast of the capital Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 23, 2023. REUTERS/Piyas Biswas Acquire Licensing RightsDHAKA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - At least 17 people were killed and scores injured on Monday after two trains collided in eastern Bangladesh, police said. A passenger train crashed into a freight train in Bhairab, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of the capital Dhaka. The freight train smashed into the passenger train from behind, crumpling two coaches, he said. "Initial reports suggest the freight train broke the signal, leading to the tragedy," Hossain said.

Persons: Piyas Biswas, Anowar Hossain, Hossain, ” Mohammad Masud, Ruma Paul, Bernadette Baum, Chris Reese Organizations: REUTERS, Piyas, Rights, Dhaka Railway Police, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Bhairab, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Rights DHAKA

☆ Teams Tackling Madeira Wildfires Reinforced as Missing Tourists Found
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Civil Protection authority on Friday morning located the missing tourists. They had fled to a cave in a mountainous part of Porto Moniz and an operation to rescue them from the area was under way, it said on social media. "It was a complicated night, a difficult night," Civil Protection secretary of state Patricia Gaspar told public broadcaster RTP at Lisbon's military airport. A few houses have been destroyed in Calheta and Porto Moniz, but no serious injuries reported so far, authorities said. Porto Moniz mayor Emanuel Camara told RTP it was a "night to forget" and that "many people" were evacuated as a precaution.

Persons: Catarina Demony, Porto, Porto Moniz, Patricia Gaspar, Carlos Teles, Emanuel Camara, Gaspar, Inti Landauro, John Stonestreet Organizations: Friday, Porto Moniz, RTP, Camara de Lobos Locations: Catarina Demony LISBON, Portugal, Madeira, Calheta, Porto, Camara, Funchal

☆ London Luton Airport suspends flights after car park inferno
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Britain's London Luton Airport suspended all flights until 1400 GMT on Wednesday after a car fire triggered a wider blaze that led to a partial collapse of one of its multi-storey car parks. There were no known fatalities in the fire, which was first reported to emergency services late on Tuesday evening. "Our priority remains supporting the emergency services and the safety of our passengers and staff. [1/5]Flames are seen as emergency services respond to a fire in Terminal Car Park 2 at London Luton airport in Luton, Britain, October 10, 2023. Britain's easyJet (EZJ.L), whose flights operate from Luton airport, said "airlines are currently experiencing some disruption to their flying programmes."

Persons: Peter Cziborra, Britain's, Baranjot Kaur, William James, Mrinmay Dey, Chris Reese, Sonali Paul, Kate Holton, Paul Sandle Organizations: Luton Airport, London, REUTERS, Civil Aviation Authority, Ryanair, Wizz, Thomson Locations: London Luton, Luton, Britain, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Bengaluru, London

☆ Dollar General's takeover of America is nearly complete, proving messy stores can win with discounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementYou can now find a Dollar General store in every one of the 48 contiguous states. But current and former employees have told Insider that working conditions inside many Dollar General stores are chaotic and even dangerous. Employees have told Insider that Dollar General does not schedule enough employee hours to unpack merchandise and maintain the stores. In August, executives said that Dollar General would spend extra money on labor and deploy what it calls "smart teams" to clean up its messy stores. Do you work at Dollar General and have a story idea to share?

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Dollar Locations: Montana, Columbia Falls , Montana, Columbia

☆ Murcia nightclub fire: 13 dead as rescuers search for more victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Duarte Mendonca | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“New victims cannot be ruled out,” the services said on their website. The injured are two women, aged 22 and 25, and two men, aged 41 and 45, who were all taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation, the Murcia emergency services website said. The President of the Murcia region posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Worried and dismayed by the news coming from there (Murcia). “The General Director of Security and Emergencies, Ricardo Villalba, is on-site coordinating with the Murcia City Council the necessary means to manage this tragedy,” the emergency services said. Three days of mourning have been declared in the city of Murcia for “those who died in the fire that occurred at the Teatre de Atalayas nightclub”, Murcia mayor José Ballesta said on X.

Persons: “, ”, Ricardo Villalba, Jose Ángel Antelo, José Ballesta Organizations: CNN, Reuters, ”, of Security, Emergencies, Security, Murcia City Council, Territorial Planning, Deportes Locations: Murcia, Spain, ”, Palacio

Riverside Animal Control looks for stray dogs as as the Fairview Fire smoulders near Hemet, California, U.S., September 9, 2022. After disastrous years in 2020 and 2021, wildfire damage this season has been largely limited to the sparsely populated northwest corner of the state. The five-year average over the same interval is 6,142 fires and 1.2 million acres burned. "We're really only a prolonged heatwave followed by a windstorm away from having major fires," Chavez said. UCLA meteorologist Daniel Swain said climate change is going to result in more extreme dry years periodically interspersed with more extreme wet years.

Persons: David Swanson, California's, Tim Chavez, Nick Schuler, Michele Steinberg, Chavez, Daniel Swain, we'll, Swain, Daniel Trotta, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Riverside, REUTERS, of Water Resources, Labor, California Department of Forestry, Fire Protection, Cal Fire, National Fire Prevention, UCLA, YouTube, Thomson Locations: Fairview, Hemet , California, U.S, California, Western Canada, United States, Hawaii, Lahaina, Southern California

☆ California Escapes Fire Season Mostly Unharmed, but Danger Could Lie Ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

After disastrous years in 2020 and 2021, wildfire damage this season has been largely limited to the sparsely populated northwest corner of the state. Cal Fire has reported 5,474 wildfires burning 257,407 acres (104,169 hectares) in 2023, similar to the same period of 2022. The five-year average over the same interval is 6,142 fires and 1.2 million acres burned. "We're really only a prolonged heatwave followed by a windstorm away from having major fires," Chavez said. UCLA meteorologist Daniel Swain said climate change is going to result in more extreme dry years periodically interspersed with more extreme wet years.

Persons: Daniel Trotta, California's, Tim Chavez, Nick Schuler, Michele Steinberg, Chavez, Daniel Swain, we'll, Swain, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: of Water Resources, Labor, California Department of Forestry, Fire Protection, Cal Fire, National Fire Prevention, UCLA, YouTube Locations: California, Western Canada, United States, Hawaii, Lahaina, Southern California

☆ How California is using AI to snuff out wildfires before they explode
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Stephanie Elam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says it has a new tool to battle wildfires before they explode – artificial intelligence. “I think it is a game changer … It has enhanced our abilities to validate situational awareness and then respond in a quick fashion,” Phillip SeLegue, Cal Fire’s staff chief for fire intelligence, told CNN. Cal Fire, in partnership with the University of California at San Diego’s Alert California program and its network of more than 1,000 cameras across the state, is using the technology to spot fires early. Stephanie Elam/CNNCal Fire staff chief for fire intelligence Phillip SeLegue stands on a lookout tower in San Diego County. At Boucher Hill lookout tower in San Diego County, volunteer Bill Angel of the Forest Fire Lookout Association is in his second season of keeping an eye out for wildfires.

Persons: ” Phillip SeLegue, Cal Fire’s, ”, Scott Slumpff, ” Slumpff, “, SeLegue, Dean Veik, Cal Fire, Stephanie Elam, Phillip SeLegue, Brian Norton, ” Norton, Bill Angel, Boucher, ” SeLegue Organizations: CNN — Firefighters, California Department of Forestry, Cal, CNN, Cleveland National Forest, intel, Cal Fire, University of California, Alert, UC San Diego Alert, CNN Cal Fire, Lookout Association, Association Locations: California, San Diego County, Alert California, Boucher

The video posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, caught the attention of Jonathan Riley, a liberal activist in Durham, North Carolina, who posted Sunday that it showed “Missouri Republicans at a literal book burning," though he'd later walk that statement back to a “metaphorical” book burning. “It fit a narrative that they wanted to put out there,” Freedom Fest organizer Debbie McFarland said about claims that Eigel burned books. Experts who study political extremism said images involving fire or bonfires have long been associated with extremist groups. Eigel’s critics quickly posted online images involving the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi book burnings before World War II. Talking about book burning enough can plant the idea in people's minds so that ”people think it’s actually a righteous thing to do."

Persons: Louis, Sen, Bill Eigel, ” Eigel, Eigel, ”, Kurt Braddock, Jonathan Riley, he'd, Debbie McFarland, Mike Parson, State Jay Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe, Ashcroft, Gregg Keller, Eigel’s, “, Eric Greitens, Flamethowers, Donald Trump, Kristi Noem’s, Evan Perkoski, it's, ” “, Javed Ali, Braddock, ” Eigel's, Ali, he’s, ___ Hanna, ___, John Hanna Organizations: JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Associated Press, ”, American University, Republicans, Twitter, Missouri Republicans, Gov, State, AP, GOP, Ku, Navy, Senate, Name, torching, Ku Klux Klan, University of Connecticut, University of Michigan Locations: Mo, St, Missouri, Washington, Defiance , Missouri, Durham , North Carolina, Jefferson City, U.S, Arizona, Alabama, South Dakota, Topeka , Kansas

FORESTHILL, Calif. (AP) — A 19-year-old was rescued after a stunt went wrong and left him dangling by a rope from California's tallest bridge, authorities said. Deputies responding Monday evening to the Foresthill Bridge northeast of Sacramento determined the teen and his 17-year-old friend had been shooting video of him swinging from the steel span, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said. “The 19 year-old became stuck, hanging approximately 30 feet from the underside of the catwalk when his equipment failed. His friend called 911 after they determined he was stuck and needed assistance,” the sheriff's office said in a statement. Rising 730 feet (223 meters) above the North Fork American River in Sierra Nevada foothills, it’s the tallest bridge in the state and third tallest in the United States.

Persons: “, sheriff's Organizations: Placer County Sheriff’s, Cal Locations: Calif, Sacramento, Placer County, Sierra Nevada, United States

(AP) — Investigators say the blast that prompted evacuations near Union Pacific's massive railyard in western Nebraska last week appears to be accidental, but it's not yet clear what caused it. The chief investigator for the fire marshal’s office, Adam Matzner, said Tuesday that investigators haven’t found any sign of a criminal act connected with the explosion, so the incident appears accidental. A spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration said Tuesday that he couldn’t provide any additional details about the agency’s investigation. North Platte is located about 230 miles (370 kilometers) east of Denver and about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Omaha. Union Pacific is one of the nation's largest railroads with more than 32,000 miles (nearly 51,500 kilometers) of track crisscrossing 23 Western states.

Persons: Adam Matzner, haven’t, Kristen South, Pacific's Organizations: —, Nebraska State Fire, Federal Railroad Administration, Union Pacific Locations: OMAHA, Neb, Union, Nebraska, North Platte, Denver, Omaha, The, Ohio, East Palestine , Ohio

☆ China’s growth is buried under great wall of debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Yawen Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Most of these 3,000-plus entities were created by local governments during the 2008 crisis to skirt a central government ban on direct state borrowing. These vehicles had already accumulated 80 trillion yuan of liabilities at the end of 2022, according to analysts at Guosheng Securities. At a more optimistic 30% discount, the proceeds would jump to 55 trillion yuan, which would cover all outstanding interest-bearing debt. S&P analysts calculate that about 20 trillion yuan of LGFVs’ loans may be at risk of restructuring. If Xi won't boost property wholeheartedly and is not able to count on consumers, his efforts to revive China’s growth have to focus on smashing the great wall of local debt.

Persons: Wen Jiabao, Xi Jinping, Wen, Xi, Peter Thal Larsen, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: Reuters, HK, Guosheng Securities, Citi, Finance, Reuters Graphics, Financial Times, Investment, Oxford Economics, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Shanghai, New York, China's Southwestern Guizhou, United States

Moulay Brahim, Morocco CNN —Moulay Brahim was once a happy place for Sami Sensis. The building partially collapsed after a powerful earthquake struck Moulay Brahim late on Friday night. Nacho Doce/Reuters Women watch the funeral of two victims of the deadly earthquake in Moulay Brahim, on September 10. Piero Cruciatti/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images A woman looks on as people inspect damaged buildings in Moulay Brahim, Morocco, on September 10. Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images People mourn earthquake victims in Moulay Brahim, Morocco, on September 9.

Persons: Moulay, Morocco CNN — Moulay Brahim, Sami Sensis, Moulay Brahim, Sensis, –, “, ”, ” Sensis, Idsaleh Mahjoub, Mahjoub, Alejandro Martinez Velez, Hannah McKay, Nacho Doce, Piero Cruciatti, Carl Court, Reuters Mohamed, Fadel Senna, Said Echarif, Abdelhak Balhaki, Mosa'ab, Ivana Kottasová, Leila Idabdelah, Idabdelah, khobz Organizations: Morocco CNN, CNN, Sensis, Locals, United Arab Emirates, ”, Anadolu Agency, Getty, People, Reuters, Reuters Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, AP Locations: Moulay Brahim, Morocco, Moroccan, Marrakech, Spain, Qatar, United Kingdom, Moulay, Brahim, Amizmiz, Al Haouz, Tafeghaghte, AFP, Al Haouz province, Asni, ”

☆ Dollar General's messy stores are haunting the retailer as it takes a $95 million hit on inventory markdowns and deploys 'smart teams' to clean up
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Alex Bitter | Mary Hanbury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dollar General is trying to cut down on excess inventory to tame its messy stores. "We believe it will drive traffic and also more quickly reduce excess inventory," Owen said on the call. To clean up its stores, Dollar General is also deploying "smart teams," or groups of employees who move between multiple stores to organize excess inventory, Owen said. Aisles at many Dollar General stores have been clogged with everything from dog food to school supplies over the last few years. That's led to multiple problems, such as local fire marshals closing Dollar General stores because merchandise is blocking fire exits.

Persons: Jeff Owen, Owen, Neil Saunders, That's Organizations: Service, Dollar, GlobalData Retail, Employees Locations: Wall, Silicon, Texas

☆ The Hawaii Fires Didn’t Have to Be This Catastrophic - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Costas Synolakis | George Karagiannis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Maui officials said text alerts were sent out, but it’s unclear how many people received them (power and cellular disruptions may have prevented residents from getting these alerts). Many local residents have said that they didn’t know the flames were approaching until the fire was nearby. We know from New York Times reporting that by 5:19 p.m. the fire had reached the waterfront, and that by 5:33 people were seeking shelter in the water. If the text alerts were sent out at 4:17 p.m., that was at least 47 minutes too late. On Maui alone, firefighters were battling fires near Makawao and Kula when the Lahaina fire erupted, leaving the ranks depleted.

Organizations: New York Times Locations: Maui, Lahaina, County, Mati, Greece, Makawao, Kula, Europe, Hawaii

☆ Fighting Intensifies in Northeast as Russia Presses on Kupiansk
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Gaya Gupta | Oleksandr Chubko | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Svitlana, right, traveled several hours from her village of Kamianske to Stepnohirsk to receive humanitarian aid alongside two other women, Lesya and Natasha. Vitya, a resident of the village of Stepnohirsk, which sits on the front line of the Zaporizhzhia region. Svitlana’s village, Kamianske, sits in a gray zone between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the Zaporizhzhia region. Image Members of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service loading animal food and other supplies into a van in Stepnohirsk, Ukraine, fire station this month. He said his home, along with almost every building in Kamianske, had been destroyed by Russian shelling.

Persons: Svitlana, Stepnohirsk, Lesya, Natasha, Vitya, Svitlana’s, “, ” Lesya, ”, ” Natasha, “ I’m, ” Svitlana, Diego Ibarra Sanchez, Serhii, ’, Vladimir V, Alla Viktorivna Organizations: Ukraine’s, Emergency Service, The New York Times Local, “, The New York Times Locations: Kamianske, Stepnohirsk, Svitlana’s, Ukrainian, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Stepnohirsk .

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