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Supplemental cash flow information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2024 | Mar. 31, 2023
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items] |  |
Cash paid during the period for income taxes | $ 339 | $ 312
Non-cash investing and financing activities: |  |
Liabilities assumed in connection with business acquisitions | 6 | 10,747
Insurance and Other [Member] |  |
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items] |  |
Cash paid during the period for interest | 434 | 491
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] |  |
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items] |  |
Cash paid during the period for interest | $ 926 | $ 799

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- Definition The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income, net of any cash received during the current period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482913/230-10-50-2 + Details
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- Definition Amount of cash paid for interest, excluding capitalized interest, classified as operating activity. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond for accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 45 -Paragraph 17 -Subparagraph (d) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-17 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -Subparagraph (e) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-25 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482913/230-10-50-2 + Details
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- Definition The total amount of [all] liabilities that an Entity assumes in acquiring a business or in consideration for an asset received in a noncash (or part noncash) acquisition. Noncash is defined as transactions during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482913/230-10-50-4 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482913/230-10-50-3 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482913/230-10-50-5 + Details
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