WR Grace Makes Deal to Settle Asbestos Claims

Salahis engaged in numerous court battles

(NEWSER) - White House gatecrashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi appear to spend a lot of their time in court when they're not trying out for reality TV or sneaking into diplomatic functions. The two are named in no less than 16 civil lawsuits in Virginia's Fauquier County, sometimes as plaintiffs and sometimes as defendants, a CNN trawl through the records finds. More»

More homeowners cite damage, sickness, as feds finish inquiry

(NEWSER) - With the controversy over Chinese drywall about to come to a head, the New York Times checks in on the issue and finds hundreds of lawsuits piling up around the country. The imported material, which became common as builders scrambled for supplies during the housing boom, is said to be contaminated with sulfur compounds that cause headaches and breathing difficulties, corrode metal—destroying kitchen appliances, TVs and plumbing—and give off a noxious smell. More»

Column appeared in Variety for 52 years

(NEWSER) - Army Archerd, who chronicled Hollywood for 52 years as a columnist for Variety, died today of mesothelioma, the showbiz publication reports. He was 87; the cancer was thought to be related to exposure to asbestos during World War II. He was known for injecting a social consciousness into his reporting, which first appeared Oct. 18, 1945; his last blog post was July 27. More»

Men got higher retention bonuses, they allege

(NEWSER) - A former Merrill Lynch broker is leading a class-action lawsuit against Bank of America for offering female workers lower retention bonuses, Reuters reports. The suit alleges that Merrill had a longtime practice of steering wealthier clients to its male brokers. Because of that, when BofA acquired the firm and offered retention bonuses based on production, it put women at a disadvantage. More»

(NEWSER) - The Environmental Protection Agency has declared a “public health emergency” in a Montana town where 200 people have died from asbestos poisoning, CNN reports. For 10 years the EPA has been involved in a cleanup of Libby, contaminated by castoff from a nearby vermiculite mine and insulation plant. The mine operator was acquitted last month on criminal charges stemming from the deaths. More»