Latest USA Headlines

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

AIG CEO Benmosche Open to Staying at Helm Past 2012

Apr 5 2011 // Robert Benmosche, who has revived the fortunes of bailed-out insurer American International Group , said Tuesday he might consider staying at the helm past 2012 if his health permitted.“I will stay into 2012 and then...

Feds Probe Illinois Public Agencies’ Workers’ Compensation Payouts

Apr 5 2011 // Two federal prosecutors are investigating possible workers’ compensation abuses at Illinois government agencies after disclosures of millions of dollars in payouts and questionable practices by arbitrators.The...

Tesoro Denies Plant Blast in Washington Due to Poor Maintenance

Apr 5 2011 // The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said Tesoro Corp. had not adequately maintained a heat exchanger at its Anacortes, Washington, refinery, that exploded on April 2, 2010, causing the death of seven workers.Microscopic cracks...

U.S. Judge Dismisses Non-U.S. Car Buyers’ Claims Against Toyota

Apr 5 2011 // A U.S. judge said he would dismiss claims against Toyota Motor Corp. by non-U.S. car buyers who say their vehicles lost value because of manufacturing defects.Toyota has recalled 19 million vehicles globally since 2009...

Toyota Wins New York Case over Unintended Acceleration

Apr 4 2011 // A federal jury found that Toyota Motor Corp. isn’t responsible for a 2005 crash that the driver blamed on the floor mat or the electronic throttle, in the first case to go to trial since automaker recalled millions...

Aon Benfield Report: Despite Catastrophes, Reinsurance Rates Remain Stable

Apr 4 2011 // Aon Benfield’s most recent evaluation of the state of the reinsurance market, as of April 1, concludes that it performed “as intended through recent events,” and that it continues “to provide...

Stuck Pipe Stopped Sealing of BP Oil Well: U.S. Report

Apr 4 2011 // The failure of the underwater blowout preventer that led to the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was caused by a stuck section of drill pipe that blocked cutting devices from shearing and sealing the leaking...

Wiring in Faulty Drywall Homes Found to Be Safe

Apr 4 2011 // Federal safety officials have stopped recommending removal of all electrical wiring in homes with problem drywall, a change in the safety protocol that could reduce the cost of remediation.The U.S. Consumer Product Safety...

People

Apr 4 2011 // The Obama administration has officially named Illinois state insurance regulator Michael McRaith to head the new Federal Insurance Office. McRaith, currently the head of the Illinois Department of Insurance, will run the...

People

Apr 4 2011 // The Obama administration named Michael McRaith to head the new Federal Insurance Office. McRaith, currently the head of the Illinois Department of Insurance, will run the Federal Insurance Office set up under 2010’s...

Alabama Nuclear Plant Cites Superior Safety

Apr 4 2011 // A U.S. nuclear plant in Alabama similar in design to the earthquake-hit Fukushima facility in Japan has multiple defenses to prevent and tackle the same kind of emergency, its operator said.Safety features at the Browns...

Growth of Clean Tech Industry Delivers New Exposures, Opportunities

Apr 4 2011 // Backed by government policy and growing public support, demand for technology that is both clean and sustainable has increased substantially in the United States, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world over the last...

April 1st International News

Apr 1 2011 // Ireland to become 1st U.S. StateThe Irish are fed up with European Union demands that they raise their corporate tax rate – currently 12.5 percent – if they want some help in repaying the enormous loans the...

U.S. Traffic Deaths Dropped to New Low in 2010

Apr 1 2011 // U.S. traffic deaths dropped by 3 percent to a record annual low of 32,788 for 2010 even as motorists drove more in an improving economy, projected government figures showed Friday.Fatalities have dropped 25 percent over...

GE Unlikely to Face Liability in Japanese Nuclear Crisis

Apr 1 2011 // The Japanese nuclear crisis has created a public-relations headache for General Electric, but the company so far has escaped any legal fallout, and many experts expect it will continue to do so.GE designed the Mark 1...

Ratings Recap: Omega US, Real State, USPlate, Safety

Mar 31 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has placed under review with negative implications the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” of Illinois-based Omega US Insurance, Inc., a...

Shake-Up at AIG’s Chartis; Moor Out, Hancock In as CEO

Mar 31 2011 // American International Group, Inc. (AIG) today announced a reorganization of Chartis, its global property/casualty business, and named a new management team, including a new chief executive officer, Peter D. Hancock,...

Black Brokers’ Bias Suit Against Bank of America/Merrill Dismissed

Mar 31 2011 // Bank of America Corp. won the dismissal of a bias lawsuit by black financial advisers at the former Merrill Lynch & Co. who said they were paid lower bonuses than white counterparts to stay on when the companies...

Bank of America Wins Dismissal of Suits Over Merrill Lynch

Mar 30 2011 // A Manhattan federal judge dismissed two lawsuits seeking to force Bank of America Corp. to sue former Merrill Lynch & Co. executives and directors over losses in mortgages and other risky debt.The ruling was issued...

U.S. Business Group Says Doha Round Hopes Fading

Mar 29 2011 // Chances for a deal this year in long-running world trade talks are fading and likely will remain remote unless world leaders become personally involved, an influential U.S. business group said Monday.“At the...