National (U.S.)

Louisiana's oyster industry, the largest in the U.S., is just beginning to recover from a series of insults, including Hurricane Katrina and the BP spill.

"The state of Louisiana has asked a federal judge to declare a jury trial to decide on its claim for more than $1 billion from BP Plc to compensate the state for economic losses resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill."

"Despite sweeping reform of food safety laws intended to make what we eat less dangerous, the number of Americans falling ill or dying from contaminated food has increased 44% since last year, according to a report released Wednesday."

Although predictions are still iffy, Pepco and other utilities around the District of Columbia and the Atlantic seaboard are bracing for winds and water from Hurricane Sandy. Some experts think the impact of the hurricane itself will be worsened by interaction with a large blocking dome of high pressure.

"The outcome of a prominent climate case has become even more shrouded in mystery after one of the three judges considering the matter died this week."

"THREE RIVERS, Tex. — The refinery business has long been the difficult stepchild of the oil industry, expensive to run, prone to accidents and a low-margin headache for executives who preferred drilling for gushers. But signs of the improving fortunes for the industry can be seen at Valero Energy's Three Rivers refinery here, about 70 miles south of San Antonio at the doorstep of a giant new shale oil field."

"Researchers say that some chemicals have unexpected and potent effects at very low doses — but regulators aren't convinced."

"For decades, indigenous people in the United States and Canada have been burdened with health problems linked to environmental pollutants. But that isn't their only sacrifice: Pollution is crippling some tribes' culture. Their native foods, water, medicines, language and ceremonies, as well as their traditional techniques of farming, hunting and fishing, have been jeopardized by contaminants and development."

"Documents obtained by Greenpeace show officials controlling information about wildlife affected by the disaster."

"MANZANILLO, Cuba -- Hurricane Sandy made landfall Thursday just west of Santiago de Cuba in southern Cuba, where residents boarded over windows and cleared drainage gutters ahead of the strengthening storm that had roared across Jamaica and left two dead in the Caribbean."