Deadly winter storm pummels South, targets Northeast

Forecasters have extended a winter storm warning from the Gulf Coast in Florida’s “Big Bend” region all the way up the Atlantic coast. They said hurricane-force winds blowing offshore on Thursday could generate 24-foot seas. Coastal flooding, downed trees and power lines were possible along the East Coast.

World’s largest plastics plant rings alarm bells on Texas coast

Gas giant ExxonMobil seal a $10bn agreement with the state-owned Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) to build the world’s largest plastics facility on the Texas coast. The Exxon-Sabic project will fuel an anticipated 40% rise in global plastic production over the next decade.