Industry News & Trends

A federal court tossed out claims accusing major tobacco companies of selling more dangerous products to minorities.

A California study suggests minors flashing licenses too quickly are often able to buy cigarettes.

Refinery worker afflicted with cancer wins $8 million in asbestos suit.

Slashing demand for gasoline is the only responsible way to fight soaring U.S. pump prices, environmentalists say.

Valero Energy Corp. and Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. weren't the only two oil companies making merger news today as Williams Cos. Inc. agreed to buy oil and natural gas company Barrett Resources Corp. for approximately $2.5 billion in cash and stock.

The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) named John Hervey chief technology officer. In this newly created position, Hervey will lead the associations technology efforts for the convenience store industry including standards, new technologies, e-commerce initiatives, and content for NACS' technology-related educational programming, particularly for the technology-focused nacs.tech conference.

Sunoco has received "viable offers" for the Kendall brand, customer lists and a lubricants-blending plant in Tulsa, Okla., spokesperson Jerry Davis said. The company expects to take an unspecified third-quarter charge to write down the assets' value.

The office of the Kremlin property manager Vladimir Kozhin filed the lawsuit. Attorney Nancy Ashenoff said it follows the lines of other lawsuits filed by her firm for Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazilian states.