Nuclear verdicts in product liability suits are on the rise. But manufacturers and their insurance companies can take multiple steps to prevent and defend against large jury verdicts, insurance and legal experts said at a recent webinar hosted by Travelers.

“It feels like it’s coming to a boiling-over point right now, really accented by all of these headlines on nuclear verdicts,” said Elise Schreier, vice president for liability claims at Travelers.

This year’s Atlantic hurricane season was marked by contrasts, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). From intense bursts of activity to relative calm, the season will end on November 30 with activity falling within the agency’s predicted ranges.

“For the first time in a decade, not a single hurricane struck the U.S. this season, and that was a much-needed break,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Still, a tropical storm caused damage and casualties in the Carolinas, distant hurricanes created rough ocean waters that caused property damage along the East Coast, and neighboring countries experienced direct hits from hurricanes.”

The cyber threat landscape has entered a period of unprecedented activity and evolution. Organizations that once viewed cybersecurity as a technical checkbox are now confronting a harsh reality: threat actors have dramatically increased both the frequency and sophistication of their attacks, fundamentally altering how businesses must approach risk management.

The farm and agriculture insurance market has experienced significant shifts over the past few years, moving from pandemic-era firmness to notable softening in most regions. This transition presents both opportunities and challenges for agricultural businesses seeking appropriate coverage while managing increasingly complex risks.

According to industry observations, major carriers are expanding capacity and easing rate-need in many areas, creating a more favorable environment for buyers. However, this softening market brings its own set of considerations, particularly around proper valuation and emerging exposures that require specialized attention.

In a year marked by divisive elections, trade wars, and technological disruption, the world’s risk landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. For the first time in five years, climate change, while still the top concern, is losing its commanding lead as other anxieties close in. According to the recently released AXA’s Future Risks Report, the gaps between the top three risks have narrowed dramatically, with geopolitical instability and cybersecurity threats now breathing down climate’s neck.

But the report’s most striking revelation is not about any single risk. It’s about the thread connecting them all: fragmentation.

The comprehensive study, which surveyed 26,595 respondents, including insurance experts and members of the general population across 57 countries, paints a picture of societies coming apart at the seams. Ninety-five percent of experts and 93 percent of the general population believe crises have increased in recent years. More troubling still, only 19 percent of experts and 16 percent of the public express full confidence in authorities’ capacity to manage future crises.

Prosecutors said three American cybersecurity professionals secretly ran a ransomware operation aimed at shaking down companies across the United States.

The three people, only two of whom — Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin — were identified by name, collaborated with the notorious hacking gang ALPHV BlackCat to encrypt companies’ networks in a bid to extort their owners out of millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency, prosecutors alleged in an indictment filed last month in federal court in Miami.

The news was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times on Sunday.

The world is running out of time to meet its central climate goal — and for insurers, that shortfall could translate into decades of escalating financial exposure.

A new analysis by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) finds that global temperatures are now on track to rise by 2.3 to 2.5 degrees Celsius this century, a fraction lower than previous estimates but still far above the 1.5-degree threshold that world leaders agreed to pursue in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The annual Emissions Gap Report, released Tuesday, concludes that breaching that target is now all but certain — at least temporarily — as nations continue to emit record levels of greenhouse gases. Even with new pledges in place, UNEP says global emissions must fall by nearly half this decade to have any hope of bringing temperatures back within safe limits.

The current AI policy and regulation landscape is still emerging globally. While some regulations and standards exist, governments, industry, and security leaders have critical gaps to close, especially around artificial intelligence (AI).

The European Union Artificial Intelligence Act is one of the most significant regulations organizations must comply with today. As the world’s first comprehensive legal framework for AI, the EU AI Act aims to ensure that AI in Europe is safe, encourages trustworthy innovation, and respects the rights of EU citizens. It categorizes AI systems by risk level, banning unacceptable risks, tightening rules for high-risk applications like healthcare, and mandating transparency for lower-risk ones. This regulate-first approach to responsible AI development is a great start, but it only addresses security at a high level.

In contrast, the U.S. administration introduced America’s AI Action Plan in July 2025. The plan prescribes an AI adoption strategy focused on deregulation and global leadership through innovation. The plan is organized around three strategic pillars: innovation, infrastructure, and international diplomacy and security.