DOJ to Loosen Marijuana Rules in Major Shift for $47B Industry
The U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday it would immediately loosen restrictions on some marijuana products and move quickly to reclassify the drug as less dangerous, in one of the biggest changes to U.S. drug policy in decades. The …
As Planet Warms, IBHS Tests Homes to Find Best Protection From Wildfires
RICHBURG, S.C. (AP) — It took less than three minutes for wind-whipped flames to go from licking the side of the house to shattering a window and working under the eaves to burn everything inside. Weeks later, another house in …
Mississippi Law School Among First in Nation to Require AI Education
Mississippi College School of Law is one of the first schools in the nation to tackle the growing influence of artificial intelligence in jurisprudence by making AI education mandatory for all students. For John Anderson, dean of the school, the …
Mass. Top Court Upholds $56 Million Damages Award Against Philip Morris
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has dealt tobacco company Philip Morris USA a blow by unanimously upholding a $56 million punitive damages award in a wrongful death case. A lower court had previously reduced the punitive damages award from $1 …
New York to Lose $74 Million Over 33,000 Licenses for Immigrant Truckers
New York will lose more than $73.5 million in federal money because the Transportation Department said last week that state has refused to revoke nearly 33,000 questionable commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants since an audit uncovered problems last year. The …
Northeast Flower and Fruit Farmers Grapple With Whiplash Weather
An abrupt swing from hot weather to cold across the Northeast is frustrating some flower and fruit farmers who have had to either harvest blooms extra early or fear they could lose some crops altogether. Frosty nights aren’t unusual this …
People Moves: Lawley Adds Employee Benefits Consultant, Insurance Advisor
Lawley Hires Fisher, Employee Benefits Consultant, and Street, Insurance Advisor Lawley, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, Hired Ryan Lynn Fisher as an employee benefits consultant in Buffalo and Carrie Street as a property and casualty insurance advisor in Rochester. Bringing …
California Insurance Commissioner Race Has Diverse Field Amid ‘Insurance Crisis’
The race for the California Insurance Commissioner post has drawn 11 candidates covering several parties, and backgrounds that include two insurance agents, a former broker, a state legislator and a former state legislator. Addressing the state’s “insurance crisis,” which took …
Amwins Partnering With Vivere on California FAIR Plan Wrap Product
Amwins and Vivere have partnered to launch a California FAIR Plan Wrap product. Developed by Vivere and distributed through Amwins, the product offers comprehensive coverage and fast quotes to the entire portfolios of California FAIR plan insureds, including commercial and …
Iran Shows Off its Control Over Strait After Collapse of Peace Talks
Iran flaunted its tightened grip over the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday with video of its commandos storming a huge cargo ship, after the collapse of peace talks that Washington had hoped would open the world’s most important shipping corridor. …
Labor Department Unveils Proposal on Contract, Franchise Worker Pay
President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday moved to make it more difficult to hold companies liable when their contractors or franchisees violate federal wage laws. The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled a proposed rule that would narrow the circumstances in …
Lawsuit Accuses JetBlue of Using Customers’ Personal Data to Raise Air Fares
JetBlue has been sued in a proposed class action claiming it uses customers’ personal data to set ticket prices, after its response to a social media post raised concern that the carrier employed “surveillance pricing” to make flying more expensive. …
Midwest Soybean Farmers Face Financial Struggles Amid Rising Costs
Strong winds whipped around Doug Bartek, a fifth-generation farmer, as he headed into a grain bin to shovel soybeans onto a conveyor chute. The 60-year-old was anxious at the onset of the spring planting season, rattling off the long list …
‘The Arms Race Is On’: Chubb’s Greenberg on Mythos, Middle East
When it comes to Anthropic’s Mythos as friend or foe, Chubb CEO Evan G. Greenberg said the “arms race is on.” Speaking during a conference call to discuss first quarter earnings, Greenberg told analysts Anthropic’s Mythos artificial intelligence model has …
Florida Sunshine: Big Improvement in Combined Ratio in 2025, Gallagher Says
Last year was a much better year for the once-distressed Florida insurance market, as direct written premium rose, policyholder surplus levels climbed, and the average combined ratio for carriers improved by a stunning 22 points, Gallagher Re reported this week. …
Drought and Wildfires Pose Threat to U.S. Cattle Ranchers
It’s never been so expensive for Americans to buy a steak or hamburger, but cutting those costs requires ranchers like Stephanie Hatzenbuhler to raise more cattle — and that’s not an easy ask. For a host of reasons, Hatzenbuhler and …
AM Best Upgrades Credit Rating of Louisiana Farm Bureau
AM Best has removed from under review with positive implications and upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a” (Excellent) from “bbb” (Good) of Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance Company …
France Probes Weather Data Tampering After Surge in Polymarket Bets
France’s forecasting office flagged suspected tampering with weather sensors at the country’s largest airport and referred the case to police, after detecting unusual readings alongside heavy betting on a popular prediction market. Automated temperature readings taken at Meteo France’s weather …
New Jersey Lawmakers Weigh Future of New Flood Rules
A joint legislative panel took more than four hours of testimony on a proposal to rescind and amend controversial flood rules approved on Gov. Phil Murphy’s last day in office. The discussion was spurred by a resolution sponsored by Senate …
West Virginia Chemical Facility Reaction Kills 2, Injures 20
Two workers were killed and 20 others, including first responders, were injured when a chemical reaction went awry at a silver recovery facility in West Virginia. The reaction and leak happened Wednesday at the Catalyst Refiners plant near Institute, about …