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Sydney Choked by Hazardous Haze From Australia Bush Fires

SYDNEY — Wildfires engulfed the Australian city of Sydney on Tuesday in haze so thick in some places it was 11 times worse than the level considered “hazardous,” and was apt to trigger fire alarms. The city canceled ferries and …

Forest Fires Cost Indonesia $5.2 Billion in Economic Losses

A deadly spell of forest fires in Indonesia’s main palm oil producing regions earlier this year may have cost the country $5.2 billion in economic losses, according to the World Bank. The fires, the worst since 2015, torched about 620,201 …

Home Depot Links Thefts to Opioid Crisis

Home Depot Inc. executives said the nation’s opioid crisis could be contributing to an unexpected surge in thefts from its stores and warehouses. The company said distribution centers that house its goods and those of other retailers have been targets …

NYC Helicopter Ride Sparked Safety Concern Months Before Fatal Crash

A government safety inspector who saw a popular New York City, doors-off sightseeing helicopter flight operation six months before a fatal 2018 crash called it “unorthodox,” but officials thought they had no authority to regulate it and allowed it to …

Policy Limit Doesn’t Bar Claim for Loss From $1.7M Phishing Scam

A $1.7 million email phishing fraud that included phone calls with a fake lawyer and an intervention by a Wells Fargo fraud investigator is still a fraud and Ironshore Indemnity is liable for the claim, a split panel with the …

Drug-Plant Inspections Ebbed as Tainted Pills Flowed to U.S.

Inspections of foreign drug manufacturers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have fallen in recent years despite increasing worry about the safety and quality of generic medications, congressional investigators said. FDA inspections of overseas pharmaceutical manufacturers declined 10% from …

California Threats Jump from Fires to Floods as Wet Season Hits

California’s climate threats could soon be jumping from wildfires and blackouts to floods and mudslides as the wet season kicks into gear. About half the water that falls in the state in any given year does so in the 90 …

Top Hotels Sued for ‘Industry-Wide Failures’ to Prevent Sex Trafficking

New York — Landmark U.S. legal action was filed on Monday accusing several major hotel groups of profiting from sex trafficking on behalf of 13 women who claimed they were sold for sex in hotel rooms. Twelve hotel chains were …

Bike-Sharing Company Wheels Offers Shareable Helmet to Cut Injuries

DETROIT — Electric bike-sharing startup Wheels said on Tuesday it will begin offering its riders shareable helmets in response to concerns about injuries. Beginning in Los Angeles, Wheels will mount helmets on the rear fenders of its bikes that can …

Exxon Prevails Over New York in Climate Accounting Case

Exxon Mobil Corp. won a closely watched securities-fraud trial that delved into its internal accounting for the financial risks of climate change, a striking rejection of New York state’s claim that the company misled investors for years. The ruling Tuesday …

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