Jury Says Medtronic Owes $88 Million in First Trial Over Covidien’s Hernia Mesh
Medtronic must pay an Alabama man and his wife $88 million, a federal jury decided on Tuesday, in the first case to go to trial out of thousands facing the company from people claiming they were injured by hernia-repair mesh …
Amazon’s Zoox to Levy Fares, in US First for Controls-Free Taxis in Vegas
Amazon.com Inc.’s Zoox robotaxi division will start charging fares next week in Las Vegas, marking a first in the U.S. for autonomous vehicles without driver controls. Zoox will charge Vegas customers starting Aug. 10, with fares calculated from a base …
LDI Introduces One-Time Process for Military Auto Insurance Discount
The Louisiana Department of Insurance has revised the application process for military members to receive a 25% discount on the liability portion of their auto insurance premium. Under a bulletin issued this week by Commissioner Tim Temple, eligible service members …
Illinois Agrees to $20M Settlement With Distributor of Popular Vape Brands
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a settlement with the entities responsible for distributing Posh, one of Illinois’ bestselling disposable vape brands. The settlement resolves allegations the entities violated the Illinois Youth Prevention Vaping Act by selling unauthorized flavored e-cigarettes …
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Schmidt Loses GOP Primary for Governor
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt’s bid to become the state’s next governor came up short Tuesday. Schmidt finished third in the Republican Primary, losing to state senator Ty Masterson. Schmidt received 13.7% of the vote. Schmidt was elected insurance commissioner …
Inszone Acquires Oklahoma’s Chelf Insurance Group
Inszone Insurance Services has acquired Chelf Insurance Group, expanding Inszone’s footprint in Oklahoma. Co-owners Justin Crane and Nate Crow officially founded Chelf Insurance Group in 2024. The agency established a significant local presence by acquiring a 50-year-old insurance book in …
Ex-VW Engineers Plead Not Guilty to US Insider Trading Charges
Two former Volkswagen AG engineers denied charges they made a combined $300,000 trading on secret information about the German carmaker’s planned $5 billion joint venture with electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc. The engineers, Michael Stamp and Marcus Plank, both in …
People Moves: Antares Names Leadership Team After Death of CEO van der Straaten
Following the passing of CEO Michael van der Straaten in July, Antares Global, the specialist re/insurance group, has announced its new leadership structure. Oversight of the Antares Global’s business will remain with Ahmed El Tabbakh, QIC’s group chief business officer …
Data Centers Exposed Carriers to China Hack, House Panel Says
US telecommunications companies connected their systems to data centers and related infrastructure in a way that exposed them to cybersecurity vulnerabilities, potentially opening the door to the massive Salt Typhoon hacking campaign that breached several mobile carriers two years ago, …
Proposed Hormuz Deal Would Give Iran Control of Inbound Traffic, Sources Say
A proposed deal between Iran and Oman would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials told Reuters on Wednesday, in one of the biggest concessions yet …
Judge Orders Rewrite to Florida Property-Tax Amendment Ballot Wording
A proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would limit some home property taxes will likely remain on the November ballot, but state officials have just 10 days to tone down the proselytizing language, a judge ordered. Leon County Circuit Judge David …
Wildfires Mean Portland Edges Out Kinshasa for World’s Worst Air
Wildfires burning across Washington and Oregon have left Portland with the worst air quality among major cities around the world, edging out Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The air in both cities is classified as unhealthy, although the …
The Hartford To Acquire Equitable’s Employee Benefits Biz
In a deal designed to boost The Hartford’s growth in the small and midsized employer segment, the Connecticut-based insurer announced a deal to acquire Equitable’s Employee Benefits business, focusing on flexible non-medical benefits. According to a media statement, as part …
Law Restricts Her From Reducing ‘Excessive’ $91M Injured Worker Award, Judge Finds
A Massachusetts judge has declined to reduce the $91 million damages award she approved last September for a construction worker’s personal injury claim, an award she herself characterized as “grossly excessive” but found is required by statute and precedent. Suffolk …
German DHL Cargo Plane Hits Object as Drone Found at Leipzig Airport
A DHL cargo aircraft hit an unknown object as it was climbing away from Leipzig/Halle airport in eastern Germany overnight, prompting an unscheduled landing in Hanover, a source familiar with the incident told Reuters on Wednesday. Authorities said they were …
AI Now Fuels Over Half of Africa’s Cybercrime, Study Finds
Artificial intelligence is fueling more than half of cybercrime in Africa, enabling criminals to launch faster, more sophisticated attacks as financial losses continue to mount, a new study found. “Cybercrime has emerged as one of the most significant criminal threats …
Danube River Hits Record Lows and Threatens Romania, Hungary Nuclear Plants
The green excavator scooped another heap of arid dirt and rocks before swiveling around to deposit the load onto barges ready to be sunk deep into the Danube River. Watched by a group of workers in the scorching Romanian heat, …
Yemen’s Houthis Say They’ll Target Tankers in Northern Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthi militant group said it would attack Saudi oil tankers in the northern Red Sea, a potential fresh escalation in its attacks on shipping. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the move was a result of the kingdom diverting …
Allianz to Buy UOB Asset Management Unit as CEO Targets Asia
Allianz SE agreed to buy the asset management unit of Singapore’s United Overseas Bank Ltd., marking the German insurer’s second major deal in recent days as Chief Executive Officer Oliver Baete pursues growth in the region. Allianz Global Investors, an …
People Moves: Chubb’s Westchester Announces Leadership Appointments; Fields to Lead New Marsh US Semiconductor, AI Compute Practice
Chubb announced key executive appointments within Westchester, the company’s wholesale excess and surplus (E&S) lines business in North America. Dave Lupica, vice president, Chubb Group and division president, Westchester, has been named executive chairman. Dave Roberts, currently chief operating officer, …

