Iran and US Widen Attacks, Raising Fears for Gulf Shipping and Water Supplies
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Monday they had struck U.S. military assets across the Middle East after another night of U.S. bombardment of Iranian cities, part of a cycle of attacks that has all but wrecked an interim ceasefire agreement. …
UK Financial Services Firms Sharpen Staff Scrutiny as New Misconduct Regime Looms
Financial firms in Britain are sharpening their focus on employee conduct, with some weeding out staff suspected of misconduct such as harassment and bullying ahead of new rules designed to curb an industry lawmakers have called a hotbed of abuse …
Ohio-Based Toy Manufacturer Sued for Discrimination and Retaliation
Step2 Company, LLC, a toy and plastic products manufacturer with plants in Northern Ohio, violated federal law by failing to provide reasonable accommodations to a pregnant employee with disabilities and firing her, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged …
People Moves: Cottingham & Butler Expands Property & Casualty Leadership
Cottingham & Butler, a privately held insurance broker based in Dubuque, Iowa, announced a series of leadership appointments across its Property & Casualty business, reinforcing the firm’s specialized expertise and its commitment to industry-leading insurance brokerage services. Mark Roling has …
Texas Big Rigs Parts Distributor Faces $264K Fine After Worker Fatality
The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Texas big rig parts distributer for 16 serious safety violations after an investigation into a worker fatality found the company exposed workers to confined space and other safety hazards. The department’s Occupational …
Judge Won’t Block Meta From Laying Off Workers Who Filed AI Discrimination Suit
A U.S. judge on July 17 rejected a bid by 26 employees of Meta Platforms to block the tech giant from laying them off while they pursue claims that they were targeted for job cuts by the company’s AI-powered tools …
Abbott Investigates Two Separate Cyber Incidents, Says No Operations Affected
Abbott Laboratories is investigating two cyber incidents involving unauthorized access to some internal systems at its cancer diagnostics business and its LabCentral portal, the company said July 17, adding that its operations were not affected. No other businesses, sites or …
Walmart Removes Four Taylor Farms Salads as Recalls Spread
Walmart Inc. said it has removed four bagged iceberg lettuce salad products manufactured by Taylor Farms as recalls tied to a cyclosporiasis outbreak expand. The retailer said Saturday there have been no confirmed illnesses associated with the items, which are …
Two Years in, Ortiz Steps Down as CEO of Florida Re
Alvaro Ortiz, the CEO of Tampa-based Florida Insurance and Reinsurance Co. since it was formed in 2024, has resigned from the fledgling company without a public explanation or indication of what comes next. “After careful consideration, I have made the …
California Utility Has Offered $750M in Program for Eaton Fire Victims
Southern California Edison announced that more than $750 million has been offered through its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program to compensate people impacted by one of the massive 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. The company said there’s continued interest in its voluntary …
Tropical Storm Watches Posted Across Florida’s Panhandle Region
A tropical storm watch has been issued for the Florida Panhandle as the Atlantic’s next event takes shape off shore. As of early Monday morning, a tropical depression was about 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida, with winds of …
Sightseeing Helicopter Likely Hit Birds Before Crashing Into Hudson River
The remains of several geese were found on a New York City sightseeing helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River last year and killed 6 people, investigators said Thursday, strong suggestions that multiple bird strikes contributed to the tragedy. Reports …
Federal Appeals Court Rules New Jersey’s Assault Weapons Ban Is Unconstitutional
A federal appeals court ruled Friday that New Jersey’s bans on assault firearms and magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds are unconstitutional. This is the first time a federal appeals court has struck down a state ban on …
Iran Renews Attacks on Gulf States After Another Night of US Strikes
Iran launched more attacks on Washington’s Gulf allies on Saturday after a seventh straight night of U.S. strikes targeting Iranian military sites including logistics facilities, escalating the war one week after a ceasefire fell apart. Kuwait came under sustained attack, …
New Flooding Haunts Texas Hill Country a Year After Historic Disaster
Soyla Reyna stood outside Calvary Temple Church, taking a momentary respite from hours of manning the flood displacement shelter at her home church in Kerrville on Thursday. “A lot of it was unbelievable,” she said as the rain outside the …
Kansas Man Sentenced to Probation for Insurance Fraud
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced a Sedgwick county man has been sentenced to 12 months of probation for insurance fraud. Lance Given, age 64, pleaded no contest and was sentenced on July 8, 2026, in Sedgwick County District Court …
Q2 Net Income at Travelers Soars 46% on Less Catastrophes, Favorable Reserves
Second quarter 2026 net income at Travelers increased 46% to about $2.2 billion on lower catastrophe losses and favorable prior year reserve development. Catastrophe losses for the quarter, mostly from severe storms, were $518 million compared with $927 million for …
Air Taxi Service Across Parts of Florida Moving Closer to Reality
The long-awaited future moved a little closer to the present this week when officials in Kissimmee, Florida, unveiled new infrastructure to support an air taxi/flying car service in coming years. “We will go from the Orlando area to Tampa within …
Texas Floods Kill Two, More Storms Forecast for Overnight
Mandatory evacuations across the Texas Hill Country are underway as life-threatening flash floods wreck bridges and roads with more heavy rain expected overnight. A wide swath of Texas is forecast to receive as much as eight inches (20 centimeters) of …
People Moves: Canopius Hires Brown as Head of US Claims; World Insurance Names Milord Chief Broking Officer
Canopius Group, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, hired Melanie M. Brown, who will join the business on August 3 as head of U.S. claims. She will report to the incoming Canopius Group Chief Claims Officer Steve Parry. Brown has extensive experience …

