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PG&E Faces Fresh Pain as Old Fire Claims Return to Haunt It

Seven months after a state agency absolved PG&E Corp. of blame for a deadly 2017 wildfire, the utility giant faces the potential of billions in new legal liabilities — and it’s unclear how it would pay for them. Despite the …

GE Risk From Reserve ‘Plague’ Worse Than Average, Fitch Says

General Electric Co. has “very high” exposure to the long-term care insurance market and is worse than average when it comes to the adequacy of reserves tied to those policies, according to Fitch Ratings. Genworth Financial Inc., which was spun …

Facial Recognition Technique Could Improve Hail Forecasts

The same artificial intelligence technique typically used in facial recognition systems could help improve prediction of hailstorms and their severity, according to a new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Instead of zeroing in on the features …

Edison’s Trial Over Liability for Woolsey Wildfire to Start in April

The first trial to determine if Edison International’s Southern California utility is liable for damages from the Woolsey wildfire that tore through Malibu last year will begin on April 27, a judge said. California Superior Court Judge William Highberger set …

Centers for Disease Control Probing Lung Diseases Linked to e-Cigarettes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a “cluster” of lung illnesses that it believes may be linked to e-cigarette use after such cases were reported in 14 states. The CDC said there was no evidence that …

Airbnb, Oregon Women Settle Racial Discrimination Claim

Airbnb has settled a lawsuit brought by several Oregon women who said the site allowed vacation rental owners to discriminate against customers based on race. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports African American plaintiffs Pat Harrington, Carlotta Franklin and Ebony Price alleged that …

City Paid for Neglect After Leaving Water System Vulnerable

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Eight years after shrinking its staff, Fort Lauderdale still doesn’t have the workers it needs to be sure a water line failure doesn’t leave the city dry the way it did last month. A contractor’s mistake …

Roy Moore Defamation Lawsuit Against Accusers is Paused

MONTGOMERY, Ala. –_ A judge has paused a defamation suit filed by Roy Moore against women who accused him during his unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid of past misconduct. Circuit Judge Albert Johnson ruled last month case will be held on …

Fraud Plagues Disaster Relief Efforts

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — As the scale and frequency of major disasters escalate, millions of dollars in federal, state and insurance payments intended for recovery efforts are being stolen by fraudsters taking advantage of chaos and the pipeline of aid …

He Died Fleeing a Hurricane, Nobody Has Claimed his Body

WHITEVILLE, N.C. — Shannon Godwin was putting plywood on the windows of his home the day before Hurricane Florence was expected to make landfall when he got the call. The Columbus County 911 center was on the line: A man …

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