A Backlash Against Data Centers Is Spilling Into French Municipal Election Races
In the town of Le Bourget outside Paris, Sofiane Milous, a candidate in France’s municipal elections, is vowing to reverse plans for a data center he says will intensify heat islands, worsen noise pollution and create few local jobs. The …
Why Is it so Easy for Iran to Shut the Strait of Hormuz?
Following through on an old threat, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a vital waterway that normally carries about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes. As oil …
Iowa Enacts Law Banning Local Gender Identity Protections
A new Iowa law bans local nondiscrimination protections on the basis of gender identity after the state became the first in the U.S. to rollback its civil rights code last year. The preemption law took effect Tuesday, as soon as …
After a Decade of Missteps, Corpus Christi Careens Toward Water Catastrophe
The imminent depletion of water supplies in Corpus Christi threatens to cut off the flow of jet fuel to Texas airports and other oil exports from one of the nation’s largest petroleum ports, triggering potential shockwaves through energy markets in …
Lyft Settlement Ensures Rights of Disabled Passengers with Service Animals
The ride-sharing company Lyft will ensure the rights of blind and other disabled passengers across the country to travel with their service animals under a settlement announced in Minnesota on Wednesday. College student Tori Andres turned to the Minnesota Department …
Wild Weather Halts Flights, Dumps Snow and Knocks Out Power
Blizzards, wildfires and thunderstorms swirling toward the eastern US have knocked out power to thousands and grounded hundreds of flights across the Midwest. Heavy snow touched off blizzard warnings from South Dakota to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Sunday, the National …
US Judge Orders Funding of Consumer Watchdog Agency to Continue
A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau indefinitely, saying top officials had unlawfully relied on deficient legal advice to justify their refusal to do so. The ruling from U.S. …
EPA Moves to Weaken Pollution Limits on Ethylene Oxide
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Friday to weaken air pollution limits on a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment, a move that would reverse a Biden administration finding of high cancer risks at manufacturing facilities that use ethylene oxide to …
Busiest US Seaport Largely Insulated From Iran War Disruptions, Exec Director Says
The busiest U.S. container seaport in Los Angeles is mostly insulated from supply chain upheaval sparked by U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran that have spiraled into a regional conflict, its executive director Gene Seroka said on Thursday. The Iran war has …
AM Best Revises Outlooks to Stable for Farmers Mutual Fire
AM Best reports it has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a” (Excellent) of Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Marble, Pennsylvania. AM …
Uber And Motional Launch Commercial Robotaxi Service in Las Vegas
Uber and Hyundai Motor-backed autonomous vehicle firm Motional launched a commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas on Friday, the latest in a string of similar tie-ups as the ride-hailing platform doubles down on its self-driving taxi strategy. Related: Amazon’s Zoox …
Repairs Completed on Ruptured Pipe That Leaked Sewage Into Potomac River
The massive sewage pipe that ruptured and leaked millions of gallons of raw waste into the Potomac River returned to operation Saturday after the completion of emergency repairs. DC Water, the utility that runs Washington’s water and sewage systems, reported …
Stryker Attack Mirrors Tactics Used in Iran‑Aligned Hacks
While struggling to log in to their work computers last week, some employees of the medical technology company Stryker Corp. were met by an unfamiliar black-and-white cartoon figure: the logo of a shadowy pro-Iranian hacking group. The image that greeted …
‘Nation’s First’ Smoke Damage Standards Bill Wending Through California Legislature
A bill to create a statewide framework for handling wildfire smoke damage insurance claims is now making its way through California Legislature. The Smoke Damage Recovery Act, which primary backer Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said stems from the recovery process …
Insurers Under Allstate Group File Louisiana Rate Decreases for Personal Auto
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced this week that two insurers under the Allstate group have filed rate decrease for some personal auto policyholders. Temple has finalized the rate changes, the Louisiana Department of Insurance said. Imperial Fire & Casualty …
Estee Lauder Companies Sues Perfumer Jo Malone, Zara UK for Using Malone Name
Cosmetics giant Estee Lauder Companies has filed a lawsuit against British entrepreneur Jo Malone, her fragrance brand “Jo Loves” and Zara’s UK business, it said on Thursday, over the use of Malone’s name on certain products. Estee Lauder Companies bought …
Nine Claims Trends to Watch Through the Rest of 2026
Catastrophe, resilience, automation, digital transformation, personalization of the claims experience, talent strategies, operational flexibility—there are a mouthful of trends to talk about in the still-young year. A new report from Crawford & Company forecasts trends that will be reshaping the …
Kentucky Launches $5 Million Roof Grant Program
Kentucky, far inland from where most hurricanes land but a place all too familiar with high winds and hail, has become the latest state to offer grants for stronger roofs. Gov. Andy Beshear announced this week that the Strengthen Kentucky …
Judge Weighs If Penn Must Produce Jewish Employees’ Records for Antisemitism Probe
The federal government’s demand for information about the membership of Jewish groups from the University of Pennsylvania in an investigation into whether antisemitism has created a hostile environment for employees landed Tuesday before a federal judge who will decide whether …
Only 3 in 10 Americans Review Insurance Annually, Says Big I Survey
Though people understand the importance and value of insurance, a policy is only something they think about when something goes wrong. According to a new survey from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big I), nine of …



