Ransomware Hack Said to Be Cause of Marks & Spencer Outages
A ransomware attack is the cause of a disruption at Marks & Spencer Group Plc., with hackers using a potent kind of malware to lock down some of the British retailer’s systems and render them inaccessible, according to people familiar …
Apollo’s Aspen Insurance Targets $2.9B Valuation in US Stock Market Return
Aspen Insurance said on Tuesday it was seeking a valuation of up to $2.85 billion in its New York flotation, as the Bermudian specialty insurer looks to go public again in the United States after more than six years. Stock …
People Moves: CEO of Carbon Retires for Health Reasons, Succeeded by Ferrier; Chaucer Taps SCOR’s Brown, Everest’s Cleair as Underwriters for International Property
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at the managing general underwriter Carbon Underwriting and specialty re/insurer Chaucer. A summary of these new hires follows here. CEO of Carbon Retires for Health Reasons, Succeeded by Co-Founder Ferrier Carbon Underwriting …
Clearwater Boat Crash Kills One Person, Injures 10 at End of Festival
The driver of a boat that appeared to leave the scene after a fatal crash in Clearwater, Florida, was not intoxicated but could still face multiple charges in the tragedy, according to local news media and the Associated Press. Authorities …
New Jersey Wildfire 75% Contained; Crews to Remain on Scene Until ‘Significant’ Rain
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported continued progress in fighting the Jones River wildfire, with the fire being 75% contained by noon on Monday, April 28. Officials said crews will remain on the scene for the next several days …
FBI Raided the Wrong House. Now the US Supreme Court Will Hear Their Lawsuit
Before dawn on Oct. 18, 2017, FBI agents broke down the front door of Trina Martin’s Atlanta home, stormed into her bedroom and pointed guns at her and her then-boyfriend as her 7-year-old son screamed for his mom from another …
Historic Memphis Church a Total Loss After Late-Night Fire
A Memphis church known as a rallying spot in the Civil Rights Movement suffered major damage in a fire that broke out early Monday morning. The 130-year-old Clayborn Temple, in downtown Memphis, is considered a total loss, with only the …
Warner Bros Fends Off Superman Copyright Lawsuit Ahead of New Movie
Warner Bros. Discovery convinced a U.S. judge to dismiss a lawsuit over rights to the iconic character Superman, lifting a legal headache before the company releases its new “Superman” movie this summer. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in New York …
Progressive Insurance Is Hiring Again; 12,000 More People Needed
Almost a year to the day after Progressive announced it would hire more than 10,000 people to fill claims, IT and legal roles in 2024, the nation’s second largest auto insurer said it now has 12,000 job openings. As was …
Cincinnati Financial Finishes Q1 in the Red Due to Catastrophes
Cincinnati Financial Corp. recorded a first quarter 2025 net income loss of $90 million compared to a gain of $755 million during the same period the prior year. The company’s consolidated insurance operations turned in a first quarter combined ratio …
Markets/Coverages: BHSI Updates Private Company Executive Lines Suite in Canada
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) has introduced an update to its Private Company Executive Lines suite of products in Canada and named Shaun Lue as private company leader. The new modular offering includes expansive directors & officers liability, fiduciary liability …
New Report Shows Rise in Cargo Theft, With Three States Leading the Way
Cargo theft across the U.S. and Canada continued to rise in 2024, with three states making up the bulk of losses, a new report shows. Multimodal hubs in California, Texas, as well as around Chicago, continue to be top targets …
Increased Writings in Homeowners Adds to US Surplus Lines Growth
Increasing movement of homeowners insurance risk to the U.S. surplus lines market has continued to contribute to growth for nonadmitted insurers. According to a report from AM Best, surplus homeowners direct premiums written in 2023 eclipsed $2 billion for the …
Spanish Grid Operator’s First Assessment Rules Out Cyberattack Behind Blackout
Spanish electricity grid operator REE said on Tuesday its preliminary assessment had ruled out cyberattack as the cause of the nationwide power outage that hit most of Spain and Portugal on Monday. Lights went off in most of the two …
Why Restarting a Power Grid After Massive Collapse Is So Hard
It’s a worst case scenario that grid operators plan for but hope never to encounter. After one of the worst blackouts in Europe in more than a decade, electricity grid operators in Spain and Portugal are trying to get networks …
Indiana Steel Mill Processor Fined $190K for Clean Air Act Violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act with Phoenix Global, a company in Burns Harbor, Indiana, that processes slag from a steel mill. The company paid $190,860 in penalties. Slag is …
Wastewater Is Polluting Rivers and Streams in Central Texas
Margo Denke set out to rally the town when she learned that a Christian youth camp planned to build a wastewater treatment plant and discharge its effluent into the pristine Hill Country creek that ran through her small ranch. Denke, …
NOAA Risks Loss of Data Network and Web Service
A key contract that supports the network service provider for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is set to lapse this week, threatening internet access and the transmission of internal data nationwide for much of the agency. The N-Wave …
North Dakota Enacts Law Shielding Bayer From Roundup Lawsuits
A new first-of-its-kind law enacted in North Dakota could shield agrochemical manufacturer Bayer from lawsuits claiming it failed to warn customers that its popular weedkiller Roundup could cause cancer. Though the immediate effect may be small, given that North Dakota …
Tariff ‘Chaos’ Drags Key Texas Manufacturing Gauge to Worst Since 2020
A widely followed measure of Texas manufacturing activity weakened significantly as executives used words like “chaos” and “insanity” to describe the turmoil spurred by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. A …