Latest USA Headlines

All the headlines from our USA Topic Page, ordered by recency.

BP Oil Spill Trial Delayed for Settlement Talks

Feb 26 2012 // The trial to decide who should pay for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been delayed by a week to allow BP Plc to try to cut a deal with tens of thousands of businesses and individuals affected by the disaster.Less...

Tornado Chasers Prepare for High Season

Feb 24 2012 // With the month of March looming, United States tornado chasers are already watching the Southeast as a nasty storm brews with the potential to spin off a batch of tornadoes.But if funnel clouds develop Thursday or Friday...

Court Upholds 1998 Tobacco Deal, Denies North Carolina Firm’s Claims

Feb 24 2012 // The landmark 1998 national settlement between 46 states and 19 tobacco companies is valid and doesn’t amount to a conspiracy or anti-competitive behavior by the government, a federal appeals court ruled this week.The...

Complex Trial Over Blame for Gulf Oil Spill Set to Open

Feb 24 2012 // It could be the ultimate case for passing the buck.A massive trial over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill heads for a New Orleans federal courtroom on Monday, to determine how much BP Plc and others should cough up for the...

Willis Tabs Zurich Exec to Lead U.S. Construction Surety Business

Feb 23 2012 // Willis North America, a unit of global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings, appointed Sean McGroarty as New York-based national surety leader of Willis North America construction practice.Previously, McGroarty served as...

4.0 Earthquake in Missouri Shakes 9 States

Feb 23 2012 // Just days after the 200th anniversary of a series of massive earthquakes in southeast Missouri, residents woke up on Feb. 21 to a rumbling reminder that they live in one of the continent’s most active seismic...

Judge: BP, Anadarko, Transocean May Be Liable for Oil Pollution Claims

Feb 23 2012 // BP Plc and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. are liable and Transocean Ltd. may be liable for civil damages under federal pollution laws over the catastrophic 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a U.S. judge ruled.Wednesday’s...

Struggling Floridians Line Up for Mortgage-Mending

Feb 23 2012 // Nearly 1,200 people lined up at a downtown Miami conference center on Wednesday, holding onto mortgage documents and income statements in the hope of saving the homes they are struggling to pay for.Seated at rows of long...

AIA’s Snyder Describes Korea Trade Pact as ‘Excellent Model’

Feb 22 2012 // The long-awaited implementation of the Free Trade Pact between the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, and the U.S. (KORUS) is scheduled to go into effect on March 15. The date will see the conclusion of negotiations that...

The Hartford Hires Chartis U.S. Underwriting Chief Tucker

Feb 22 2012 // Hartford Financial Services Group announced three senior management appointments, including Tom Tucker as chief underwriting officer of commercial markets and head of specialty casualty. He will start his post at The...

Starr Cos. Hires ING Group Exec to Lead Starr Strategic Partners

Feb 22 2012 // Starr Companies appointed X. Rick Niu as senior managing director of Starr Strategic Partners, a newly formed division dedicated to serving the insurance and investment needs of Asian and other emerging market companies...

U.S. Drops Major Anti-Bribery Prosecution

Feb 22 2012 // The Obama administration on Tuesday dropped a major bribery prosecution that had been part of a campaign to crack down on corruption after the government suffered several setbacks in court in a case involving military...

U.S. Firms Seek Clarity on Anti-Bribery Law

Feb 22 2012 // U.S. corporations asked the government to explain what it considers a bribe of a foreign official, saying the lack of clarity has had a chilling effect on business.The Chamber of Commerce and dozens of other trade groups...

U.S. Justice Dept. Closes Allianz Indonesia Bribery Probe w/o Charges

Feb 21 2012 // The U.S. Justice Department has closed its investigation into whether Allianz SE violated a foreign bribery law through its insurance business in Indonesia and does not plan to bring charges, according to a letter reviewed...

Allied World U.S. Creates Mergers & Acquisitions Division

Feb 21 2012 // Allied World U.S. has expanded its professional lines operations through the launch of a new mergers and acquisitions division that will be headed up by Jeff Anderson, vice president, in the company’s New York...

U.S. Risk Promotes Mullens to EVP

Feb 21 2012 // U.S. Risk Insurance Group Inc. has promoted Mike Mullens, the current national practice leader for the U.S. Risk healthcare division, to executive vice president. Mullens has more than 35 years experience in the insurance...

U.S. Should Expect Another Above-Normal Tornado Season in 2012

Feb 21 2012 // The U.S. should expect an active severe weather season with above-normal tornadoes in 2012.That’s after a near-record number of tornadoes in 2011, according to forecasters at AccuWeather.com in State College, Penn....

Mitsui Unit to Pay $90 Million Over Gulf Oil Spill

Feb 21 2012 // Mitsui & Co. Ltd.’s MOEX Offshore agreed with the U.S. Justice Department to pay at least $90 million to settle some of its liability in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the first government settlement involving...

Cruise Ship Industry Leaves Crash Victims Little Hope for Recovery

Feb 21 2012 // When Walter Henry Alderfer learned last month about the Costa Concordia shipwreck off Italy, it brought back bad memories.In April 2007, he, his wife and his daughter were aboard the Sea Diamond cruise ship when it struck...

MF Global Judge to Review Insurance for Former Executives

Feb 20 2012 // The U.S. judge overseeing MF Global’s bankruptcy plans a closer review before deciding whether any of an estimated $190 million of insurance coverage for former company executives should instead go to customers....