Articles by Tracy Rucinski

Bipartisan Bill Would Require Secondary Cockpit Door on All Existing Airplanes

U.S. lawmakers are pushing for stronger aviation security with a bipartisan bill that would require passenger airlines to install secondary security doors between cabins and the cockpit on current aircraft to prevent another Sept. 11-style attack. Hijackings remain a threat …

How One Hedge Fund Has Pursued $360M Financial Fraud Claim Against Big Bank

When the high-end property development Lake Las Vegas collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis, 31 funds that helped finance the project lost a total of $540 million. But only one of them, Dallas-based hedge fund Highland Capital Management, aggressively pursued …

Weinstein Co. Ends All Non-Disclosure Agreements, Files for Bankruptcy

U.S. film and TV studio The Weinstein Company, whose ex-Chairman Harvey Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment and assault, filed for bankruptcy on Monday and said it was ending all non-disclosure agreements that may have silenced some women. The …

Credit Insurers Stopped Backing Toys ‘R’ Us a Year Ago

When Toys ‘R’ Us secured a $3.1 billion bankruptcy loan in September, toy makers were reassured they would be paid for goods delivered to the company as it tried to emerge from Chapter 11. Now those payments are at risk …

U.S., Peabody Energy Agree to $43 Million Environmental Fund; Bankruptcy Plan Approved

A U.S. judge formally approved Peabody Energy Corp.’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy late Friday after the coal producer struck a settlement with the U.S. government over legacy environmental claims at a gold and metal mining subsidiary. Under a last-minute …

West Virginia Regulator Sues Alpha Natural on Fraud Allegations

West Virginia’s environmental regulator sued Alpha Natural Resources Inc’s former management on allegations of fraud on Wednesday, saying top executives should be held accountable for an unusual $100 million funding gap that has emerged just three months after the U.S. …

Arch Coal Ends Self-Bonding, Agrees to Fund Future Mine Cleanups to Exit Bankruptcy

U.S. coal miner Arch Coal has agreed to set aside collateral to cover future mine cleanup costs as part of its bankruptcy reorganization plan, according to a court filing, ending its controversial use of “self-bonds.” For decades the largest U.S. …

U.S. Court Approves Clean-Up Deals, Executive Bonuses for Peabody

Bankrupt coal company Peabody Energy late last month won U.S. court approval for agreements with three states to partially cover $1.14 billion in potential environmental liabilities and for a bonus plan for its six top executives. Under the agreements, Wyoming …

U.S. Court Approves Clean-Up Deals, Executive Bonuses for Peabody

Bankrupt coal company Peabody Energy has won U.S. court approval for agreements with three states to partially cover $1.14 billion in potential environmental liabilities and for a bonus plan for its six top executives. Under the agreements, Wyoming can receive …

U.S. Regulator Vows Changes to Mine Cleanup Program

A leading U.S. coal regulator announced plans on Tuesday to toughen what it called “out-of-date” rules for guaranteeing mine cleanups. The Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement said it would start working with U.S. state regulators to modify rules …