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| What did West Virginia officials know? - MSNBC Posted: 12 Jan 2014 08:59 AM PST West Virginia authorities were aware of the hazardous chemicals stored at Freedom Industries' facilities long before Thursday's chemical spill, a newly released document reveals. According to the Charleston Gazette, Freedom Industries, the company at the center of the massive spill, filed the required "Tier 2" form with the state back in February informing officials that one million pounds of the coal-cleaning chemical 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) were being stored in tanks at the Etowah River Terminal along the now-polluted Elk River. Under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, Freedom Industries was required to alert the state of the presence of hazardous chemicals at its facilities so authorities and emergency responders were aware of the potential risks. "Obviously, the whole idea of the chemical inventory reports is to properly inform local emergency officials about the sorts of materials they might have to deal with," chemical safety expert Fred Millar said, according to the Gazette. "It's just head-in-the-sand to be ignoring this type of threat." Officials seemed surprised to learn that MCHM was being stored in Freedom Industries' facilities, and they did not appear to have an emergency plan in place to respond to the spill. "This was not a chemical we were familiar with," West Virginia American Water Company spokesperson Laura Jordan told the Wall Street Journal Saturday. At Friday's press conference, West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Romblin called the spill "unacceptable," and is continuing to advise residents not to use tap water. As many as 300,000 residents remain without potable water as officials continue to investigate how the leak occurred. The West Virginia Poison Center by Saturday morning logged nearly 800 calls from residents reporting symptoms of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, and skin irritation. |
| Ariel Sharon lies in state as Israeli public tell their stories of his life - Telegraph.co.uk Posted: 12 Jan 2014 08:48 AM PST Mr Sharon, who died on Saturday after spending the last eight years of his life in a coma following a devastating stroke, will be buried at his ranch in the Negev desert next to the grave of his late wife, Lily. Israelis of all ages – including schoolchildren too young to recall Mr Sharon's career – gave a variety of reasons for paying homage to one of Israel's most controversial figures. Some acknowledged that the former prime minister had made serious mistakes, such as the 1982 invasion of Lebanon that led to the massacre of Palestinians at Sabra and Shatila refugee camps by Christian forces allied to Israel. But many agreed that he showed a strength of leadership unique in their country's 65-year history. "He was a great man. He did a lot of things that were good for the country and maybe some things that were not good," said Ronen Yekutieal, 25, a law student from Holon, near Tel Aviv. "He was the last real leader that grew up here and there will be no other leader like him in the years ahead." "As a leader, as a politicians and as a Zionist, he was a symbol. He was part of the history of this country," said Daniel Bergfeld, 44, a web designer from Jerusalem, who had allowed to his 12-year-old son, Gad, a day off school to attend. Perhaps the most unusual mourner was Yehudi Dudevani, 69, a former brigadier-general who served under Mr Sharon in the Israeli paratroopers. Mr Dudevani said his father, Moshe, had fought alongside Mr Sharon at Latrun, near Jerusalem, during Israel's 1948 War of Independence, when they were the commanders of parallel regiments. Both men were wounded in the fighting, but while Mr Sharon allowed himself to be removed from the battlefield, Mr Dudevani snr insisted on staying with his comrades and perished. He was given a military funeral after his remains were discovered 50 years later. His son kept his own identity hidden from Mr Sharon, despite being in frequent contact, until they met at the Knesset after both had left the army. "When I told him who my father was his hands starting shaking and he broke out in a sweat," said Mr Dudevani. "Then he told me the most important thing in my life. He said, 'I was wounded and left my injured men in the field. Your father was injured and stayed with his men. The most important message I can give to the army is what your father did. He symbolises the message that we don't leave injured men in the field.' "He was criticising himself for what he didn't do. That's why I'm here today." |
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