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Legal Battles Expected Over Corpus Christi’s Water Rate Referendum

Article 0 Comments Reservoirs have rebounded, but the fight over water isn’t over in Corpus Christi. The City Council has ordered a public referendum on a citizen-led petition that would sharply increase the price of water for industrial facilities during drought. The proposal is expected to face a litany of legal challenges before November’s election. It would add millions of dollars in fees to the region’s largest water users, including ExxonMobil, Occidental Chemical and Valero, the next time reservoir levels are below 30 percent full, like they were for 29 months until early August. Community and environmental groups gathered nearly 13,000 signatures of registered voters to get their proposal on the ballot. “This was a lot of signatures,” said Corpus Christi Mayor Pro-tem Kaylynn Paxson at the City Council meeting Tuesday evening. “This is something that doesn’t happen every day. I am very proud and amazed to say that this actually took place.” The 6-2 vote to call a special election on the referendum followed years of growing tensions between the public in Corpus Christi and the industrial giants that consume enormous amounts of water. As the region’s main reservoirs fell from 30 percent full in March of 2024 to...

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Washington University in St. Louis Sued for Retaliation

Article 0 Comments Washington University in St. Louis is being sued for allegedly violating federal law by firing an employee in retaliation for her opposition to race discrimination and filing a discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). According to the suit, Amega Thaier, who worked as a senior program manager at Washington University’s Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, complained to both the university and the EEOC that she was separated from her colleagues because of her race during a mandatory training session provided by the University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Thaier complained about the incident internally in January 2025 and later filed a charge with the EEOC in July 2025. After, Thaier’s supervisors retaliated against her by transferring her job responsibilities to other employees and eventually eliminating her position completely in November 2025, resulting in her termination, the suit said. The alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits retaliation for opposing race discrimination or filing a charge of discrimination. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. The Washington University, Case No. 4:26-cv-01289) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri after first attempting to reach...

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Officials Urge Gulf Coast Beachgoers to Beware of Deadly Bacterial Infections

Article 0 Comments Health officials in Louisiana are urging beachgoers to take precautions during a summertime surge in infections from a flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters. Louisiana has confirmed nine cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections this year, the state’s health department said last week in a news release. All were hospitalized, and five died. During the same period over the previous decade, Louisiana reported an average of seven cases and one death. “Seek medical care immediately if a wound exposed to brackish or salt water becomes red, swollen, painful, warm or discolored,” officials said in the release. “Tell the health care provider about the water exposure.” The Gulf is an ideal environment Vibrio bacteria thrive in seawater and in the brackish mix of fresh and saltwater found in estuaries and lagoons. Most infections are reported from May to October, and most happen in states along the Gulf Coast. Doctors say the Gulf is an ideal environment with the right amounts of salt and heat to let this organism proliferate. The mostly deadly type is Vibrio vulnificus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As many as one in five of those infections are fatal, a much higher...

Manulife Expands Partnership with Microsoft to Accelerate Enterprise AI Governance and Innovation 0

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Manulife Expands Partnership with Microsoft to Accelerate Enterprise AI Governance and Innovation

Five-year agreement advances Manulife’s strategic priority to become an AI-powered organization Manulife will adopt Microsoft’s Frontier Suite and deploy Microsoft Agent 365 to drive AI solutions at enterprise scale Manulife will expand deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot to more than 30,000 employees Toronto, ON (July 29, 2026) – Manulife and Microsoft are pleased to announce the renewal and expansion of their longstanding relationship, supporting Manulife’s strategic priority to become an AI-powered organization. As part of this partnership, Manulife has adopted Microsoft 365 E7 Frontier Suite capabilities to enable innovation at scale with secure cloud and AI solutions. This includes expanding adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot to over 30,000 employees and deploying Microsoft Agent 365 – a next-generation suite that provides a control plane for governing, monitoring, and securing AI agents at enterprise scale. The five-year agreement supports Manulife’s continued transformation and responsible scaling of AI-enabled capabilities across its global operations. “Our partnership with Microsoft is a critical enabler of Manulife’s continued evolution into a truly AI-powered organization,” said Shamus Weiland, Chief Technology & Operations Officer, Manulife. “Adopting the Microsoft Frontier Suite represents the next phase of that transformation, giving us the trusted foundation to advance AI across our global operations...

BOXX Insurance Futureproofs AI Coverage Ensuring Protection Against Deepfakes & Social Engineering 0

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BOXX Insurance Futureproofs AI Coverage Ensuring Protection Against Deepfakes & Social Engineering

Toronto, ON (Jan. 22, 2026) – BOXX Insurance, a global cyber InsurTech and part of Zurich Insurance Group, is pleased to introduce affirmative coverage for AI and deepfake related events for social engineering and security failures within its commercial policy offering, Cyberboxx® Business. New AI Endorsement Eliminates AI Coverage Grey Zone This announcement eliminates ambiguity and cements BOXX’s commitment to providing clear cover for AI-driven incidents for their customers and their broker partners. AI is creating new cyber and digital threats for small businesses with 86% of US business leaders with cybersecurity responsibilities reporting at least one AI-related incident in the past 12 months.[1] In Canada, the trends follow similar patterns as 81% of Canadian businesses that experienced fraud in the past year also faced an AI-enabled attack.[2] The sophistication of AI and deepfakes is also changing how attacks are carried out, with threat actors leveraging these tools to target and trick employees at scale via enhanced social engineering attacks. “Threat actors are exploiting trusted relationships amongst employee and executive networks which can result in handing over credentials or misdirecting payments without an actual breach,” said Erik Tifft, Global Head of Underwriting at BOXX Insurance. “That’s why we’ve updated our...

Trust Plummets: Three-Quarters of Canadians Feel Mandatory Anti-Theft Technology Needed in Vehicles 0

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Trust Plummets: Three-Quarters of Canadians Feel Mandatory Anti-Theft Technology Needed in Vehicles

Study reveals more than one-third of Canadians have been personally affected by auto theft; only 18% believe that new vehicles are adequately protected against modern, technology-based theft Toronto, ON (July 28, 2026) – Équité Association’s 2026 Canadian Auto Theft Impact Survey reveals that public safety concerns persist as organized crime’s modern vehicle theft methods easily override the outdated security in today’s vehicles. The survey found that while more than one-third of Canadians have been personally affected by auto theft, only 18% of respondents believe that vehicles sold today can withstand modern technology-based theft tactics. Since 2023, national auto theft has decreased by 33%* as collaborative efforts have been successfully implemented through the federal government’s National Action Plan to Combat Auto Theft. However, Canadians recognize that the fight to end auto theft is not over, as 55% point to the evolving tactics of organized crime, with two-thirds (66%) believing that meaningful progress requires a coordinated response among governments, manufacturers, law enforcement, and vehicle owners, up from 61% in 2023. “The progress we have made in combatting auto theft proves that coordinated action works; however, our communities are justifiably concerned about public safety and evolving criminal tactics,” says Bryan Gast, National Vice...

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Florida-Based Heritage Continues to Shed Policies as Earnings Soar to New Heights

Article 0 Comments While a number of Florida-domiciled property insurers have begun rebuilding their policy portfolios in the last 12 months, Tampa-based Heritage Insurance has continued to shed policies in recent years. The selective underwriting strategy, along with other changes, appears to have made a difference: Heritage reported a Q2 profit of almost $62 million. That’s a 28.5% increase in net income for the second quarter of this year, compared to Q2 2025. The company also posted a microscopic 65% combined ratio as of the end of June this year. That’s eight points lower than what the insurer reported at this time last year, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. “Several years ago, our focus was on improving profitability, strengthening the balance sheet, and reducing volatility in our financial results. Today, we are generating record earnings, producing substantial excess capital and beginning to see encouraging signs that the foundation we have built can support future growth,” CEO Ernie Garateix said in a statement posted last week. He said Heritage has evolved into a stronger, more diversified and more resilient business as a super-regional insurance carrier. The publicly traded insurer, ranked 21st-largest in Florida, reported 350,887 policies...

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Meta Ordered to Pay $567 Million In New Mexico for Teen Mental Health Fund

Article 0 Comments A New Mexico state court ordered Meta on Thursday to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and change how its platforms function for young users after finding the company is to blame for harming children’s wellbeing. Judge Bryan Biedscheid in Santa Fe ruled the company had created a public nuisance in New Mexico, siding with Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat. Torrez had accused the social media company of designing products to addict young users and failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on its platforms. The ruling comes five months after a New Mexico jury in an earlier phase of the case ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding it violated consumer protection law by misrepresenting the safety of Facebook and Instagram for young users. Related: Meta Says States Seeking $1.4 Trillion in Penalties in August Youth Safety Trial The case was being closely watched amid a growing wave of litigation accusing social media companies of harming young users. While many lawsuits have been brought by children and families over alleged injuries to individuals, states, municipalities and school districts have also pursued lawsuits seeking broad changes to the industry. More than 40...

Market Performance in H2 2026 Will Be Driven by AI, Despite Geopolitical Uncertainty and Persistent Inflation: Natixis Survey 0

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Market Performance in H2 2026 Will Be Driven by AI, Despite Geopolitical Uncertainty and Persistent Inflation: Natixis Survey

91% of Natixis strategists believe AI will be the key factor driving market performance in second half (H2) 2026 88% believe productivity gains from AI will translate into higher corporate profits 67% expect U.S. equities to outperform in H2, with 42% identifying U.S. markets as likely to deliver the best returns globally Over half (55%) say concerns about private credit have been overstated Boston, MA (July 22, 2026) — Investors are heading into the second half of 2026 faced with a wide range of potential risks, from the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict to volatile energy markets to persistent inflation. Yet, despite this, nine out of ten (91%) Natixis strategists are optimistic that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be the key factor driving market performance in second half of 2026. Of the 33 market strategists, portfolio managers, research analysts and economists across the Natixis Investment Managers affiliated group, 88% expect the AI sector will accelerate, and only 12% believe the bubble will burst in the second half of the year. However, despite optimism, Natixis strategists are still cautious on AI given the disruptive nature of the technology, as 79% believe volatility driven by AI fears is here to stay and could potentially spread...

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Trump Calls Texas’ Data Center Opposition a “Mistake”

Article 0 Comments President Donald Trump this week criticized Texas for being anti-data centers, just days after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott paused industry-wide approvals until the companies provide the state with more information on things like power and water use. “I saw Texas the other day sort of is against data centers,” Trump said in a nearly hourlong sit-down interview with Punchbowl News released Friday. “I think it’s a mistake. And I’m not taking positions, I just think it’s a mistake, because there are other communities that want it. When a community wants it, it means a lot of money is going to come into that community.” Abbott’s office and campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. The moratorium, which Abbott announced Monday, will require state regulatory agencies to audit proposed data centers seeking connection to the state’s electric grid and find out whether they’re receiving tax breaks, how much power and water they will use, what kind of cooling they will use, what efforts they’ve made to reduce community impacts, and who owns the facilities. Any projects that fail Abbott’s ordered “comprehensive verification and audit” should be denied connection to the grid, the governor said....