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1000s of Sugar Cane Workers Die as Wealthy Nations Stall on Solutions

A mysterious kidney disease is killing hundreds of men yearly in Central America. The men are all sugar cane workers. Dehydration and heat stress from strenuous work are key contributing causes, but researchers suspect that exposure to an unknown toxic substance may be an important triggering factor also.

Sasha Chavkin and Ronnie Greene report for iWatch News (Center for Public Integrity) December 12, 2011.

Source: iWatch News, 12/12/2011

"Brominated Battle: Soda Chemical Has Cloudy Health History"

"Patented as a flame retardant for plastics, and banned in food throughout Europe and Japan, a brominated chemical called BVO has been added to sodas for decades in North America. Now some scientists have a renewed interest in this little-known ingredient, found in 10 percent of sodas in the United States. Research on its toxicity dates back to the 1970s, and some experts now urge a reassessment."

Source: EHN, 12/12/2011

"New Concerns About Hanford Nuclear Waste Plant"

"RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — The federal government says a one-of-a-kind plant that will convert radioactive waste into a stable and storable substance that resembles glass will cost hundreds of millions of dollars more and may take longer to build, adding to a string of delays and skyrocketing price tag for the project. In addition, several workers at southeast Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation have raised concerns about the safety of the plant's design — and complained they've been retaliated against for voicing their issues."

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 12/12/2011

"Big Energy Measures To Slide Past 2012"

"Capitol Hill’s biggest energy policy trend of 2011 is a Congress unable to accomplish much of anything."

Source: Politico, 12/12/2011

"Industry Pours Campaign Cash Into State, Local Races"

"The chairwoman of the Texas Railroad Commission, Elizabeth Ames Jones, gets more campaign contributions from oil and gas than from any other industry. The Railroad Commission doesn't oversee railroads. By accident of history, the elected three-member panel regulates Texas's oil and gas industry. And when the three commissioners campaign, they turn to the companies they regulate to fill up their war chests."

Mike Soraghan reports for Greenwire December 9, 2011.

Source: Greenwire, 12/12/2011

"New U.N. Climate Deal Struck, Critics Say Gains Modest"

"Countries from around the globe agreed on Sunday to forge a new deal forcing all the biggest polluters for the first time to limit greenhouse gas emissions, but critics said the plan was too timid to slow global warming."

Source: Reuters, 12/12/2011

"W.Va. Judges OK $35M Settlement in Coal Slurry Pollution Case"

"MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A $35 million settlement between Massey Energy and some 600 southern West Virginia residents who blamed the mining company for poisoning their wells with coal slurry finally has court approval."

Source: AP, 12/09/2011

"Congressional Leaders Reach Agreement on Pipeline Safety"

"House and Senate leaders on Thursday reached agreement on tougher safety rules for the nation’s vast network of pipelines in the wake of a spate of incidents including a deadly pipeline explosion in San Bruno, Calif., last year that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes."

Source: LA Times, 12/09/2011

"Scientists Excited Over Hints of Finding Elusive 'God Particle'"

"Scientists eagerly await data that may prove the existence of the Higgs boson, which is key to understanding mass in the universe. Or the hints may be a false alarm."

Source: LA Times, 12/09/2011

"MSHA Blocked Questions About Previous UBB Methane Incidents"

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Labor Department officials blocked an independent state team investigating the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster from digging into questions about the federal government's response to earlier incidents where methane leaked from the Raleigh County operation's mine floor, newly disclosed records show."

Source: Charleston Gazette, 12/09/2011

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