INSURANCE NEWS
Alibaba Must Face Lawsuit Over Counterfeit Squishmallows
A U.S. judge on Wednesday rejected Alibaba’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit over the alleged sale by various merchants of counterfeit versions of the popular children’s toy Squishmallows on its online platforms. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan said …
US Seizes BlackCat Ransomware Site, Offering Decryption Tool
The US Justice Department seized websites belonging to a notorious Russian-speaking ransomware group, upending hackers that have extorted millions of dollars from victims around the world. The website for the extortion group BlackCat, also known as ALPHV or Noberus, on …
US Workplace Stress at All Time High, Survey Says
Stress at work has reached epidemic proportions and shows little decline in 2023, according to the American Psychological Association’s “Work in America Survey: Workplaces as Engines of Psychological Health & Wellbeing.” The national survey found that 77% of U.S. workers …
Top Insurance Journal D&O Storylines of 2023
Million-dollar court cases, expert predictions and in-depth market analysis — Insurance Journal’s top-read directors and officers insurance stories in 2023 scrutinized notable national headlines through a D&O lens. Meanwhile, big-picture evaluations continued to draw attention, as did a legal dispute …
Louisiana Department of Insurance Chief of Staff Denise Gardner Wins National Award
Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) Chief of Staff Denise Gardner was recently presented with the Robert Dineen Award for her outstanding service and contributions to the state system of insurance regulation at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Fall …
People Moves: Leif Assurance Hires Smith as Construction Insurance Specialist
Leif Assurance, headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., recently hired Gabe Smith as a construction insurance specialist. Smith has 10 years of sales and insurance experience. Before joining Leif Assurance, he owned and served as an insurance agent at The Woodlands …
Missouri Urgent Care Chain Settles for $9.1 Million Over False Claims for COVID-19 Testing
ST. LOUIS (AP) – One of the largest urgent care chains in Missouri will pay $9.1 million to settle allegations that the company submitted false claims for medical services, including COVID-19 testing. The U.S. Attorney`s office in St. Louis on …
Beyoncé`s Childhood Home in Texas Catches Fire on Christmas Morning
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) – Beyoncé’s childhood home caught fire early on Christmas morning, though the family living there escaped safely. The fire was reported at about 2 a.m. Monday and the Houston Fire Department arrived on the scene of the …
Mentally Disabled Indiana Man Wrongfully Convicted in Slaying Agrees to $11.7 Million Settlement
ELKHART, Ind. (AP) – A mentally disabled man who was wrongfully convicted in the slaying of a 94-year-old woman has reached an $11.7 million settlement with a northern Indiana city and former police officers, his attorneys said Friday. The settlement …
Microsoft, OpenAI Sued by New York Times for Copyright Infringement
The New York Times Co. sued Microsoft Corp. and OpenAI Inc. for the use of content to help develop artificial intelligence services, in a sign of the increasingly fraught relationship between the media and a technology that could upend the …
Avalanche Closed Alaska Highway, Cutting off Access
A large avalanche and blizzard conditions in southern Alaska cut off road access to much of the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage. The avalanche hit the Seward Highway near the intersection of the Sterling Highway around 8 a.m. Sunday. The …
California Lawsuit Says Grocer Broke Law by Asking Job-Seekers About Criminal Histories
California sued the Ralphs supermarket chain, alleging that it violated state law by asking job-seekers whether they had criminal records and illegally rejecting hundreds of applicants. The California Civil Rights Department contends that Ralphs Grocery Co. “has ignored and continues …