United States News

What If Women Ran Wall Street?

If women ran Wall Street, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s job cleaning up the bloodied financial markets might not be so tough. In opening a Women in Finance Symposium that brought together top female government figures such as Sheila Bair and …

FEMA Charges Georgia Man with Multiple False Claims

Desima James would seem to be the unluckiest man in America. In 2005 and 2006 alone, he suffered through three devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes, a tornado in Indiana and flooding in New Hampshire. Or so he told the Federal Emergency …

Insurance Agents, Carriers Make Progress in Modifying Dodd Bill

Insurance agents and carriers are reporting progress in their efforts to modify a proposed federal financial services regulation bill passed by the Senate Banking Committee, while risk managers have extended their support to the legislation. Lobbyists for the Independent Insurance …

Argo Group Estimates Q1 2010 Cat Losses at $25 to $35 Million

The Bermuda-based Argo Group International Holdings announced that it expects its initial loss estimate from first quarter 2010 catastrophe events that have occurred to date will be $25 to $35 million, net of reinstatement premium and tax benefits. Argo said …

EU Trade Chief Says U.S. Must Make First Move to Restart Doha Round

The European Union cannot make more concessions on farm trade to restart stalled world trade talks and the United States must make the first move, the EU’s new trade chief said on Monday. The ball was not in the EU’s …

Lack of Winter Snow Raises Canadian Forest Fire Concerns

Two Canadian provinces are worried about an early start to this year’s forest fire season because of below-normal winter snowfall and dry spring conditions. British Columbia has put fire-fighting aircraft on 48-hour alert, something they do not normally do until …

Republican Attorneys General Pursue Sovereignty Claim Against Health Bill

Republican attorneys general in at least 12 U.S. states warned Monday that lawsuits will be filed to stop the federal government’s healthcare reform bill from encroaching on states’ sovereignty. The lawsuits were announced hours after the U.S. House of Representatives …

Ohio Workers’ Comp Advisers Wanted Recommendation, Didn’t Get It

The director of an embattled legislative panel bucked the position held by panel advisers when she declined to make a recommendation on a bill with sweeping consequences for the nation’s largest state-run injured worker insurance fund, the Associated Press has …

Ratings Recap: AXIS (notes), Jasindo

A.M. Best Co. has assigned a debt rating of “bbb+” to the recently issued $500 million 5.875 percent senior unsecured notes due 2020 of Axis Specialty Finance LLC. The senior notes are unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by Bermuda-based Axis Capital …

Louisiana’s Rep. Melancon: Chinese Drywall Poses a Fire Hazard

U.S. Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) sent a letter to the nation’s top fire official requesting his assistance in protecting homeowners from toxic Chinese drywall. In his letter to U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin Cochran, Congressman Melancon noted that corrosion of electrical …