Fertilizer Firms See Profit Windfall as War Upends Supplies
Fertilizer makers are seeing a windfall from Iran’s war, highlighting the impact of the conflict’s upheaval on supply chains for the key crop nutrients. CF Industries Holdings Inc. and Nutrien Ltd. each reported nearly 20% jumps in sales for the …
People Moves: Novatae Names Voorhees as Managing Director of Personal Lines
Novatae Risk Group, the wholesale insurance business of World Insurance Associates, announced that Brian Voorhees will be joining the company as its new managing director of personal lines. In this role, Voorhees will lead Novatae’s personal lines with responsibility for …
US Opens Probe Into Start-Up Avride Self-Driving Crashes in Texas
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it is opening an investigation in a series of crashes of start-up Avride autonomous vehicles that raised questions about the competency of the vehicles. NHTSA said the vehicles’ performance may indicate inappropriate …
Florida Governor Signs Bill Dropping Building Permits for Work Valued at $7,500 or Less
Florida’s governor has signed House Bill 803 into law, dropping building permit requirements for construction work valued at $7,500 or less. The law takes effect July 1. “A local government that issues building permits shall exempt an owner of a …
Strait of Hormuz Transits Halted Since Tuesday as US, Iran Clash
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to commercial shipping after the US and Iran clashed overnight near the waterway, attacking each other’s assets in the area. US forces targeted missile and drone launch sites and other military assets in …
Nissan Cancels Plan to Build Electric SUVs at Mississippi Plant
Nissan Motor Co. is canceling plans to make a pair of fully electric SUVs at a factory in the US, citing waning demand among American consumers for all-electric vehicles. The decision, which was relayed Thursday to dealers and parts suppliers …
In Florida Court, Sackler Family Member Admits Felony Tied to Her Opioid Addiction
As the Sackler family worked through a plan to pay $6.5 billion to resolve their liability over Purdue Pharma LP’s production of addictive opioids, the epidemic hit even closer to home. Joss Sackler, the wife of former Purdue board member …
Florida Contractors Sentenced in Decade-Long Scheme to Avoid Taxes, Workers’ Comp
Two Orlando contractors have been sentenced to at least two years in federal prison after orchestrating a decade-long scheme to pay workers off the books and avoid taxes and workers’ compensation insurance premium payments. Rene Maricio Escobar, 55, and Juana …
Multiple Colleges Hit by Disruptions After Canvas Service Hack
Hackers briefly took down an online portal used by thousands of colleges around the world this month, disrupting services at institutions from Harvard to Princeton. Instructure Inc., which runs the Canvas service used by students to take tests and get …
FEMA Council Backs Overhaul of Disaster Response
President Donald Trump’s task force for reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday recommended sweeping changes to how the federal government responds to natural disasters. The recommendations, finalized at a council meeting in Washington, include reassessing FEMA staffing, rethinking …
US Expects Iranian Response to Peace Proposal on Friday as Fighting Flares Up in Gulf
The United States said it expected an Iranian response as soon as later in the day on Friday to its latest proposal to end the war in the Gulf, even as U.S. and Iranian forces clashed in the Gulf and …
Lloyd’s Executives Debate Release of Findings Into Probe of Ex-CEO Neal: FT
Lloyd’s executives are debating how much information to release about the findings of a probe into former Chief Executive John Neal and his relationship with a woman who was promoted to a senior role during his tenure, according to a …
Lawmakers Interrupt New York Governor’s Victory Lap on State Budget Agreement
Don’t pop the champagne yet. That is effectively what New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie advised Gov. Kathy Hochul, who yesterday declared victory in the lengthy negotiations over the 2026-2027 state budget. Hochul claimed her office and lawmakers in …
After LA Wildfires, Clergy Crossed Denominational Lines to Help
Rabbi Amy Bernstein says the wind-whipped fire in January 2025 that scorched much of the Pacific Palisades, destroying her home and damaging her synagogue, “blew everything open” for the community’s faith leaders. “If our hearts must break, let them break …
Australia Regulator Calls for Urgent Cybersecurity Action to Counter Mythos
Australia’s corporate regulator has urged the country’s financial sector to take urgent action on tackling potential cyber risks from frontier AI systems such as Mythos. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Friday published a letter sent to the financial …
Sabotage and Cyberattacks Have Put Europe’s Power Networks on Alert
The helicopter flying over fields, rivers and villages in central Poland is loaded with high-tech cameras and sensors. The pilot, an army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, keeps the small Robinson R66 low to the ground. The chopper …
Mitsui O.S.K. Says its Vessels Did Not Pay Fees Transiting Hormuz
Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) said on Friday three of its vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the Gulf in April did not pay transit fees, sticking to a principle of navigation under international law. Tehran has …
Health Officials Downplay Pandemic Risk From Cruise Hantavirus Outbreak
The deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship doesn’t risk triggering the next pandemic, World Health Organization officials said, downplaying an incident that has raised concern about a new viral contagion. “This is not Covid, this is not influenza,” Maria …
Michigan Court Sides With Progressive in Policy Misrepresentation Case
Progressive properly rescinded coverage to a Michigan driver who made misrepresentations on their insurance application, the state Supreme Court ruled. Plaintiff Janice Sherman sought personal protection insurance (PIP) benefits through Progressive after being involved in a July 2021 car accident. …
Driving Data and Vehicle Sensors Help Detect Early Cognitive Decline
With more older adults staying behind the wheel longer than ever, understanding how early cognitive changes affect driving has become increasingly important. In the United States, there are more than 50 million licensed drivers age 65 and older, including roughly …



