Ukraine News

Ratings Roundup: Lemma, Russian Re, Ghana Re, International Energy

A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has placed under review with negative implications the financial strength rating of ‘B+’ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-” of Ukraine’s Lemma Insurance Company. Best explained that the rating action “reflects the …

Scientists Downplay Health Risks of Fires Near Chernobyl Nuclear Plant

Fears that fires scorching forests polluted by Chernobyl fallout may propel dangerous amounts of radioactivity into the air are overblown, scientists say, and the actual health risks are very small. Even firefighters tackling the blazes, which officials say have hit …

Russian Troops Dig Canal to Keep Fires from Nuclear Plant

Russian troops dug a 8-km (5-mile) long canal to keep fires caused by a record heatwave away from a nuclear arms site, local media said on Saturday as air pollution from the crisis rose to more than six times above …

Moscow Choked by Wildfire Smoke, Heatwave; Villages Burn; Planes Diverted

Dense clouds of acrid smoke from peat and forest fires choked Russia’s capital on Friday, seeping into homes and offices, diverting planes and prompting exhausted Muscovites to wear surgical masks to filter the foul air. Air pollution surged to five …

QBE Europe Promotes Tonchev and Jenny

QBE’s European division announced that Petko Tonchev has been promoted to General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe and Felix Jenny will take up the interim position of General Manager of QBE‟s German operation. Both roles are effective immediately. They …

Willis Opens New Kazakhstan Office

Willis Group Holdings announced that it has received official approval from local authorities to open a representative office of Willis Limited in Kazakhstan, the third office Willis has opened in the former Soviet Union, in addition to branches in Russia …

Somali Pirates Seize Greek-owned Ship in Gulf of Aden

Somali pirates have seized a Liberia-flagged and Greek-owned ship with 24 people aboard in the Gulf of Aden, officials said on Wednesday. The ship, managed by Eurobulk Ltd and named Eleni P, was carrying iron and sailing from Ukraine to …

European Union to Issue Climate Warning; Tackle CO2 Loopholes

Loopholes in the United Nations climate treaties could actually amount to an increase in global climate-warming emissions and the chance to rein in temperatures may be slipping away, a draft European Union report showed. “Optimistic assessments…indicate that a pathway towards …

Willis Sees Premium Rates Softening for Mining Industry in 2010

“Rates for Mining Property Damage & Business Interruption (PD/BI) insurance are likely to soften in 2010, but could harden again should this volatile sector experience a catastrophic loss, according to the latest Mining Market Review from Willis Group Holdings. Willis …

Political, Financial Risk Levels Continue High in 2010, Says Aon

Political and financial instability remain a feature of the business landscape as a result of the recession, according to Aon Risk Services, the global risk management and insurance brokerage business of Aon Corp. The company launched its 17th annual Political …