China News

Cargo Ship and Tanker Hijacked off Somali Coast

A cargo ship and a chemical tanker have both been hijacked by pirates in the perilous waters off the coast of Somalia, bringing to four the number of ships seized in the past week, officials said Saturday. The multiple hijackings …

Munich Re CEO Slams Copenhagen Failure; Calls for ‘Small Party’ Talks

Munich Re’s CEO Nikolaus von Bomhard issued a statement on the reinsurer’s web site that left no doubt concerning the disappointment he (and the Group) feel following the failure of the UN’s Copenhagen Climate Conference to achieve any major agreement. …

Special Reuters Report: America’s Route to Recovery

When Bob Hagan was a boy in Youngstown, Ohio, people equated the coke dust they swept off their doorsteps each day with opportunity, for it came from the steel mills that built this city. After graduating from high school more …

Somali Pirates Receive $4 Million Ransom for Chinese Coal Ship

A helicopter dropped a $4 million ransom payment on Sunday on to the deck of a Chinese coal ship hijacked by Somali pirates in mid-October, a pirate source on board the vessel said. The De Xin Hai and its 25 …

Europe Feels Left Out in Cold on Climate Change Deal

It’s a climate deal that has Europe feeling left out in the cold. The continent that used to take the lead in advocating climate action is now taking the lead in climate complaining. And it’s not just upset with the …

China Responds to UK Claims; Says It’s ‘Sowing Discord’ in Climate Talks

China condemned claims ascribed to Britain’s climate change minister that it had “hijacked” negotiations in Copenhagen (See IJ web site – , https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2009/12/21/106116.htm]. The sharp words came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, who said on Tuesday that the …

U.N. Climate Talks End ‘With a Bare Minimum’ Agreement

U.N. climate talks ended with a bare-minimum agreement Saturday, Dec.19, when delegates “noted” an accord struck by the United States, China and other emerging powers that falls far short of the conference’s original goals. “Finally we sealed a deal,” U.N. …

UK’s Environment Minister Reported to Accuse China over Climate Talks

British Environment Minister Ed Miliband has accused China, Sudan, Bolivia and other left-wing Latin American nations of having tried to hijack the U.N. climate summit to stop a deal, the Guardian reported on Monday. The summit in Copenhagen ended with …

Truth or Lore? Insurance ‘Factorama’ Explores the Known and Little-Known

It’s the end of the decade that apparently has no name as yet, but that doesn’t stop those of us at Insurance Journal from looking back at the past 10 years and beyond for known and little-known insurance “factoids.” Why? …

Economies Slowly Recovering; Climate Change Negotiators Still Talking

Swiss Re’s recent Economic Forum at the reinsurer’s iconic London headquarters presented a far more encouraging picture of the world’s financial condition than a year ago. Thomas Hess, Swiss Re’s chief economist and head of global research; Clarence Wong, chief …