Global Forest Loss Tops Record as Wildfires Drive Destruction
Global loss of tropical and boreal forests surged to a record high last year as unprecedented temperatures fueled fires, releasing more than four times the emissions of all air travel in 2023. That’s according to the latest annual assessment by …
DoorDash Expands Driver Savings Pilot Program to Maryland
DoorDash said it is expanding its benefits savings program with a new pilot in Maryland for eligible drivers. Expenses covered under this program can include retirement savings, health, dental, and vision insurance, and paid time off. DoorDash said similar pilot …
Chevron Says One Missing After Fire at Angola Offshore Oil Platform With 17 Injured
Chevron’s Angolan business said on Wednesday that there was one person missing after an early morning fire at its Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) offshore oil platform on Tuesday. Seventeen people were injured, four seriously, when the fire started around …
Amazon’s Zoox Expands Robotaxi Trials to Rival Turf in Atlanta
Amazon.com Inc.’s Zoox is expanding testing of its autonomous driving technology to Atlanta, moving in on a market where Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo is expanding with Uber Technologies Inc. Zoox has already deployed a small number of test vehicles in the …
Hacker of App Used by Trump Aide Stole Data From Across Government
A hacker who breached the communications service used by former Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz earlier this month intercepted messages from a broader swathe of American officials than has previously been reported, according to a Reuters review, potentially raising …
Judge Rejects Vanguard $40 Million Mutual Fund Settlement, Cites SEC Accord
A federal judge on Monday rejected Vanguard Group’s $40 million settlement with investors who claimed the mutual fund giant stuck them with inflated tax bills in its popular target-date funds. U.S. District Judge John Murphy in Philadelphia said the proposed …
FAA Cuts Newark Flights After Air Traffic Control Issues
US aviation safety regulators will allow fewer flights at Newark airport after technology outages and a staffing crunch fueled a surge in delays and cancellations in recent weeks. The US Federal Aviation Administration said it will permit a maximum of …
Boost Prices or Retreat? How Carriers Improved Homeowners Books in 2024
Direct written premiums in the U.S. homeowners insurance market rose more than 13 percent in 2024, and the net combined ratio for the line fell below breakeven for the first time in five years. Higher prices explained much of the …
Radio Calls for Help Sent 45 Seconds Before Mexican Ship Hit Brooklyn Bridge
The Mexican navy tall ship that struck the Brooklyn Bridge was underway for less than 5 minutes before its masts crashed into the historic span, and radio calls indicating it was in distress went out only 45 seconds before the …
Marks & Spencer Says Cyberattack to Cost £300 Million
Marks & Spencer Group Plc is facing a £300 million ($403 million) hit to operating profit this fiscal year from a cyberattack last month it blamed on human error that is still disrupting sales and operations. The British retailer will …
Thoma Bravo’s Nearmap to Buy Insurance Tech Firm Itel for Over $1.3B
Thoma Bravo-backed Nearmap has agreed to buy insurance technology provider itel from private equity firm GTCR, the companies said on Tuesday, as it looks to expand its offerings across property portfolios. The deal values itel at over $1.3 billion, including …
Europe’s Farm Sector Loses €28 Billion a Year From Climate Risks
The European Union’s agriculture industry is losing €28 billion ($31.5 billion) a year due to increasing climate risks, such as droughts and flooding, according to a new study. Those losses from adverse weather equate to about 6% of production, according …
World Insurance Adds Two Agencies in South Carolina
New Jersey-based World Insurance Associates, one of the larger brokerages in the country, has continued its expansion plans with the recent acquisition of two agencies in South Carolina, the firm announced this week. Owens Insurance Agency, in Greer, and Stokes …
Alphabet’s Waymo Gets California Nod for Robotaxi Expansion in Bay Area
Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo said on Monday it received approval from California to expand its robotaxi operations in more areas of the San Francisco Peninsula and further south, including San Jose. Waymo’s permission from California comes as Tesla gears up …
Senate Will Try to Block California Vehicle Standards to Phase Out Gas-Powered Cars
The U.S. Senate will move this week to block California from enforcing a series of vehicle emissions standards that are tougher than the federal government’s, including first-in-the-nation rules phasing out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Majority Leader …
Central US Severe Weather Outbreak Caused Billions in Damages, AccuWeather Says
A multiday severe weather outbreak across the central U.S. caused an estimated $9 billion to $11 billion in total damages and economic loss, according to AccuWeather preliminary estimates. More than 70 tornadoes have been reported since May 16. Authorities say …
Ryan Specialty Acquires Irish MGU 360° Underwriting
Ryan Specialty, the Chicago-based international specialty insurance firm, announce that it has acquired 360° Underwriting (360), a managing general underwriter specializing in commercial construction. 360 is based in Dublin and Galway, Ireland, and will become a part of the Ryan …
No NOAA Large-Disaster Data to Hurt Insurers’ Grasp of Secondary Perils, Says AM Best
Insurance industry financial strength rating agency AM Best said today that a decision to stop updating a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration disaster database could be detrimental to insurers and may require the rethinking of some products. About two weeks …
Iowa-Based Ice Cream Manufacturer Issues Recall Over Plastic Concerns
An Iowa-based ice cream manufacturer has recalled nearly 18,000 containers of ice cream and frozen yogurt over concerns they could contain pieces of plastic. Wells Enterprises issued the voluntary recall last month, according to recently released information from the Food …
California Commissioner Launches Smoke Claims & Remediation Task Force
A new task force has been formed to develop standards in California for insurance coverage and clean-up of smoke-damaged homes. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced the formation of a Smoke Claims & Remediation Task Force within the California Department …