US Climate Prediction Center Sees 69% Chance of Historic El Niño
The El Niño building in the Pacific Ocean is increasingly expected to reach a strength not seen in 76 years of record keeping. “During the October-December 2026 season, there is a 69% chance of a historic event that would exceed …
Almost All Top US Companies Had Board Diversity Rules. Now Most Are Gone
Three years ago, nearly every major US company explicitly considered diversity when choosing new directors. Now, most don’t. In all, 61 S&P 100 companies have dumped explicit diversity criteria for future board members since 2023, according to an ESGAUGE analysis …
Cargo Thefts Drop in Q2 but Losses More Than Double
Cargo theft incidents were down 26% in the second quarter 2026 compared with the same time a year ago but it turns out that thieves stole expensive items as losses reached over $300 million. According to a report from Verisk’s …
Aon’s NFP Buys Cannabis Business From Frontier Risk
NFP, a subsidiary of Aon, the international insurance broker, announced it has acquired the retail cannabis business of Frontier Risk Group, a specialty insurance company that has focused on the marijuana industry. Frontier is based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Eric Scheider, …
Lindberg’s Right-Hand Man Sentenced to Two Years After Cooperating With Prosecutors
Almost four years after he pleaded guilty, the top associate to convicted briber, insurance entrepreneur and fraudster Greg Lindberg has been sentenced to two years in prison. Christopher Herwig, who was chief investment officer for Lindberg’s Eli Global and other …
Safety Agency Reports on 2025 Blast at Pennsylvania Steel Plant That Killed 2
A federal safety agency recommended the development of written policies and procedures for flushing gas valves a year after a blast at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh killed two workers. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board issued …
People Moves: IMA Appoints Schwartz New Leader for Washington Market
IMA Financial Group Inc. named Karen Schwartz as Washington market president. She leads IMA’s Washington market strategy, focusing on strengthening collaboration across business lines, partnering with property/casualty and employee benefits teams and producers. Schwartz has nearly 15 years of insurance …
California Advances Bill to Expand Antitrust Enforcement Law
A major expansion of California’s antitrust laws advanced in the state legislature Thursday despite opposition from business leaders and some government officials. The state Senate Appropriations Committee moved the bill, AB 1776, to the full chamber, where it must pass …
NJ School Board Not Liable for Boy’s Shooting at Football Game With No Metal Detector
A New Jersey public school district has been found not liable for the fatal shooting of a 10-year old boy at a high school football game where security did not include a metal detector to screen attendees. The boy’s mother …
Markets/Coverages: AIG Starts Parametric Cloud Outage Solution
American International Group (AIG) said it launched a new Parametric Cloud Outage Solution, providing clients an additional layer of cyber insurance protection to help them recover faster from business interruption losses resulting from cloud service outages and cloud provider downtime. …
Dallas-Based Bus Companies Settle Allegations of PPP Loan Violations for $3.9M
Tornado Bus Company, Inc. and El Expreso Group, LLC, two affiliated Dallas-based bus companies that operate numerous international bus routes between the United States and Mexico, agreed to pay $3.9 million to resolve allegations that the companies violated the False …
Legal Battles Expected Over Corpus Christi’s Water Rate Referendum
Reservoirs have rebounded, but the fight over water isn’t over in Corpus Christi. The City Council has ordered a public referendum on a citizen-led petition that would sharply increase the price of water for industrial facilities during drought. The proposal …
Midwest States Grapple With Recovery From Latest Severe Storms
Severe weather cut power to more than half a million people in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana as perilous thunderstorms and tornadoes pummeled the region Tuesday, causing widespread damage and bringing lightning that injured people at an Ohio prison. …
Kansas Woman Sentenced to Probation for Insurance Fraud
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced a Johnson County woman has been sentenced to 24 months of probation for insurance fraud. Jinky Alcantara, aged 39, pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026, in Johnson County District Court to one felony count …
Shein Loses UK Lawsuit Against Temu Over Copyright Violations
Shein lost a UK lawsuit against PDD Holdings Inc.’s Temu over allegations its rival engaged in large-scale copyright violations. The Chinese-founded e-commerce giant must also compensate Temu for taking down thousands of product listings, according to a London court ruling …
Taylor Farms Outbreaks Show Limits of US Ability to Safeguard Mexican Produce
Two foodborne illness outbreaks linked to Taylor Farms have exposed a weakness at the heart of North America’s food system: the United States is increasingly relying on Mexico’s produce industry, and regulators are straining to oversee it to keep consumers …
Viewpoint: Storm Resilience Must Account for the Assets That Do Not Stay Put
Hurricanes, wildfires and other major weather events often dominate attention, but severe convective storms remain one of the most frequent and costly weather threats facing businesses. In 2025, there were a total of 23 billion-dollar disasters; 21 were severe storms. …
Hawaii Faces More Tropical Threats From El Niño-Charged Pacific
A powerful patch of thunderstorms and wind is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Lala by Thursday before taking aim Hawaii this weekend. The weather system was 935 miles (1,500 kilometers) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with top winds of 35 …
Thoma Bravo to Take Accelerant Private in $4 Billion Deal
Accelerant said on Thursday that private equity firm Thoma Bravo will take the insurance marketplace platform private in an all-cash deal worth more than $4 billion, just over a year after its New York listing. Shareholders of Atlanta-based Accelerant will …
UnitedHealth Investor Suit Alleges Security, Governance Lapses
UnitedHealth Group Inc. board members ignored a raft of governance and oversight risks for years before catastrophic failures triggered billions in losses for investors, a shareholder lawsuit alleges. An amended complaint filed Aug. 7 in a Minnesota federal court reveals …

