INSURANCE NEWS
Former Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Aiding Attackers
A former ransomware negotiator has pleaded guilty to charges he helped a ransomware group extort tens of millions of dollars from companies. Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, worked for a cyber incident response company as a ransomware negotiator …
Tornado Tears Through Oklahoma Town, Damaging 40 Homes
Raeann Hunt scrambled to her cellar as a tornado bore down on her Oklahoma community. “It is headed right for us,” she recalled thinking, as she peeked outside, unable to contain her curiosity. Huddled inside the dark 8-by-8 foot (2.44-by-2.44 …
Maine Governor Blocks First State Freeze on New Data Centers
The Democratic governor of Maine, Janet Mills, on Friday vetoed a bill that would have made it the first U.S. state to impose a moratorium on large new data centers, even as local opposition to the electricity-hungry facilities grows. The …
Massive Ice Sheets Threaten Homes in Northern Michigan
Large chunks of ice rammed into homes along Michigan’s Black Lake in the northeastern Lower Peninsula as constant spring rainfall and winter melt left many homes flooded and threatened to overflow stressed dam systems. Photos and video posted to social …
Inszone Acquires Michigan’s James R. Vozar Insurance Agency
Inszone Insurance Services announced the acquisition of James R. Vozar Insurance Agency. With offices in Athens, Quincy, and Union City, Michigan, this acquisition further strengthens Inszone’s presence in the Midwest and adds deep specialized knowledge in the agricultural sector to …
A 50% Surge in Zombie Oil Wells Prompts Texas to Crack Down on Toxic Water Leaks
Texas is planning new rules to speed up its response to so-called zombie oil wells after the number of sites leaking toxic wastewater increased more than 50% this year. Oil companies in the largest US crude-producing state are pumping so …
FTC Settles Case Against Anesthesia Company
he U.S. Federal Trade Commission is settling its case against a private equity portfolio company it says was used to buy up anesthesiology practices and raise prices in Texas, according to court documents filed on Thursday. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT The …
Study Finds ‘Alarming’ High Flood Risk for 17M Americans on Atlantic, Gulf Coasts
More than 17 million people along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts are at the highest risk of being affected by flooding, with New York and New Orleans standing out, according to one of the most comprehensive studies ever of …
Wildfires in Georgia and Florida Destroy 50 Homes and Force Evacuations
Huge plumes of smoke blanketed swaths of the Southeast on Wednesday as crews battled rapidly growing wildfires that destroyed more than 50 homes in Georgia and forced hundreds to flee the drought- and wind-fueled flames. Some of the biggest blazes …
Bayer Shareholders Keep the Squeeze on CEO Over Roundup Lawsuits
As Bayer AG tries to draw a line under costly Roundup herbicide litigation in the US this year, shareholders are using its annual general meeting to make clear that the stakes are higher than ever — including for Chief Executive …
Trump Says He’ll Probe Banks Over Response to LA Wildfires
President Donald Trump said he would look into the actions of banks in their response to last year’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires following a meeting with that city’s mayor, Karen Bass. Trump said he met with Bass and other officials …
Apple, Amazon Push Back on Stricter Emissions Reporting Rules
Major corporations are pushing back against a possible tightening of emissions reporting standards that would have implications for the clean energy transition in years to come. More than 60 companies — including Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., General Motors Co., FedEx …