EPA waives fuel rule in 4 states after Indiana refinery fire

CHICAGO (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has lifted a federal rule for fuel sales in four states in response to a fire last week at an Indiana oil refinery that could affect prices and supply. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the emergency waiver was granted Saturday for Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. In a letter to state officials, Regan said the agency determined the waiver is necessary “to minimize or prevent disruption of an adequate supply of gasoline to consumers.” The waiver lifts a Clear Air Act requirement that lower-volatility gasoline be sold in the states during summer months to limit ozone pollution. BP said its refinery in Whiting, Indiana experienced an electrical fire Wednesday that led to at least a partial shutdown.

Michigan lifting some fuel rules after Indiana refinery fire

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s governor is lifting some rules on fuel supply transportation in response to an Indiana oil refinery fire that could affect supply and prices in some Midwestern states. Saturday’s executive order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifts caps and limits on the hours that motor carriers and drivers can drive if they are carrying gas and diesel. The Detroit News reports it also seeks to suspend some rules that will allow the state access its fall gasoline supply early. BP says its refinery in Whiting, Indiana, along Lake Michigan’s shoreline about 15 miles southeast of Chicago, experienced an electrical fire Wednesday. It says it’s still assessing when affected units can restart.

Dutch police: 6 dead after truck hit community barbecue

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The death toll from an accident when a truck drove off a dike and slammed into a community barbecue in a village south of Rotterdam has risen to six, and police say a further seven people are in hospital, including one in critical condition. Police spokeswoman Mirjam Boers said the truck driver, a 46-year-old Spanish man, is suspected of causing the accident that happened early Saturday evening in the village of Nieuw-Beijerland. Boers said Sunday the driver was not under the influence of alcohol when his truck left a small rural road, careered down the bank of the dike and plowed into the village gathering. The exact cause of the crash is under investigation.

Army program gives recruits who perform poorly second chance

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (AP) — There’s a new Army program that gives lower-performing recruits up to 90 days of academic or fitness instruction to help them meet military standards. The program is one way the Army is hoping to fill the ranks as it struggles with recruiting efforts that are expected to fall dramatically short of the goals this year. According to estimates, just 23% of young people age 17 to 24 are physically, mentally and morally qualified to serve without receiving some type of waiver. Moral behavior issues include drug use, gang ties or a criminal record. It’s the military’s academic and physical fitness requirements that the prep course will address.

‘Tape or chewing gum:’ Twitter’s lapses echo worldwide

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter at its best is a tool to get a message out quickly, efficiently and directly, whether you’re an activist or a local fire department. But it’s also a constant risk-and-reward calculation. A bombshell whistleblower report from Twitter’s former head of security alleges that the social media company has been negligently lax on cybersecurity and privacy protections for its users for years. The revelations could be especially concerning for those who use it to reach constituencies, get news out about emergencies as well as for political dissidents and activists in the crosshairs of hackers or other malicious actors.

Fed tackles inflation with its most diverse leadership ever

JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (AP) — When Diane Swonk first attended the Federal Reserve’s annual economic conference in Jackson Hole in the late 1990s, there was a happy hour for women who attended the event. It barely filled a single table. Now, the “Women at Jackson Hole” happy hour draws dozens of female economists and high-level decision-makers, from the United States and overseas. “I’m just glad that now there’s a line for the ladies’ room,” said Swonk, who is chief economist for the accounting giant KPMG. It’s not just at Jackson Hole but also in the Fed’s boardroom where its leadership has become its most diverse ever.

Small businesses feel the pinch from slowing housing market

NEW YORK (AP) — The chill in the housing market is rippling out to the carpenters, landscapers and other small businesses that lose out when fewer homeowners renovate their properties. Inflation was already causing some homeowners to delay big renovation projects as prices for building materials, fixtures and appliances jumped. More recently, higher mortgage rates put a damper on the number of homes being sold. Growth in homeowner spending for improvements and repairs is expected to slow for the rest of 2022 and the first half of 2023, according to the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University