July 8, 2026Sequel Insurance Agencies Acquires Texas’ Watkins
Sequel Insurance Agencies, powered by SIAA, a leading independent insurance agency platform and perpetuation partner for entrepreneurial agencies, announced its acquisition of Watkins Insurance Group including five office locations across Austin and …

July 8, 2026Merger Suits Stall Under DOJ Boss Who Opposes Blocking Deals
A nearly $1 billion takeover by a defense supplier that Pentagon officials previously faulted for overcharging the military may serve as the latest test of how light a touch the US Justice Department is willing to take on corporate mergers. …

July 8, 2026Iran Tells UN It Has Right to Control ‘Parts’ of Hormuz Strait
Iran told the United Nations’ shipping agency that it has authority over parts of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that’s a centerpiece of peace talks between Washington and Tehran. “Parts of the Strait of Hormuz fall within the territorial … …

July 8, 2026Ugandan Farmers to Challenge $5.6 Billion Pipeline in UK Lawsuit
A group of Ugandan farmers will on Tuesday file a lawsuit in the UK High Court against the East African nation’s $5.6 billion crude pipeline, potentially delaying long-awaited exports due to begin later this year. The petition says the 1,450-kilomete …

July 8, 2026Premiums Will Skyrocket by 2035, and Discounts Not Enough for Wind Mit, Studies Say
Home fortifications, from roof tie-downs to window protections, have been recognized as key factors in reducing losses, claims and premiums in hurricane-prone states like Florida. But relying on the incentive of premium discounts is not enough to pro …

July 8, 2026Shark Attack on Alabama Teen Inspires Start of National Alert System
Lulu Gribbin was 15 when she survived a shark attack off the coast of Florida. She lost her left hand, part of her right leg and almost her life. What she didn’t know when she entered the water on that …

July 8, 2026Los Angeles Heat Builds Ahead of Hot Spell Across US Southwest
Temperatures are set to rise across Los Angeles and parts of the southwestern U.S. later this week. Extreme heat is already settling across Southern California and Arizona as readings threaten to reach 116F (47C) across the region, including in Palm …

July 8, 2026People Moves: Chesapeake Employers’ Names Barnett to Leadership
Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company Names Barnett SVP, CFO Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company appointed John Barnett as senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). Barnett brings more than 25 years of financial leadership experi …

July 7, 2026Judge Approves $46.75 Million Payout for 23andMe Data Breach Victims
A U.S. bankruptcy judge on July 7 approved a $46.75 million settlement for victims of a 2023 data breach at the genetic testing company 23andMe, which exposed genetic and other personal information of an estimated 6.9 million customers. U.S. Bankrupt …

July 7, 2026NTSB Finds No Engine Failure in Deadly Missouri Skydiving Plane Crash
Federal safety investigators said in a new preliminary report that they found no indication that engine failure caused the fiery crash of a plane on a skydiving outing last month in Missouri that killed all 12 people aboard, including several …