Category:

International News

As China grows old, elder care costs loom large

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in about 25 years, one-third of China’s population will be retirees, and their living and health care expenses will take up one-fourth of the country’s Gross domestic product (GDP). Moreover, China’s increasing elderly population will reduce the supply of labor force and increase the burden on families’ elder care and the pressure on the supply of basic public services.

read more

Ship owner says Suez Canal was at fault over Ever Given grounding: Lawyer

The Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds on March 23, and remained grounded for six days, blocking traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade.

The vessel has since been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pursues a $916.5 million claim against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen.

read more

CNA Paid $40 Million in Ransom After March Cyber Attack

Ransomware attacks — and particularly payments — are rarely disclosed so it’s difficult to know what the biggest ransoms have been. The average payment in 2020 was $312,493, according to Palo Alto Networks, a 171% increase over the previous year. The $40 million payment is bigger than any previously disclosed payments to hackers, according to three people familiar with ransomware negotiations.

read more

Biden directs US federal agencies to mitigate financial risk from climate

An executive order Biden issued Thursday calls for concrete steps to mitigate climate risks, while protecting workers’ life savings, spurring job creation and helping the United States lower greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

New regulations could be issued on the banking, housing and agriculture sectors, among others.

read more

Canada unprepared for facing climate change induced mega-hurricane-risk:Swiss-re-

But as ocean surfaces warm, the frequency, duration and intensity of storms increase. That’s extending their range and making Canada, where just one or two tropical cyclones make landfall each year, more vulnerable, according to the Zurich-based company, which provides reinsurance to 15% of the country’s insurance industry.

read more

Italy probes Allianz Direct, Zurich for alleged cartel among automobile insurers

In a statement, the Italian Competition Authority said the companies involved were able to charge consumers higher premiums for automobile insurance policies as a result of the insurers and price comparison companies regularly sharing reports, prepared by the price comparers, of “sensitive information” on the market for auto policies.The probe involves, among others, Allianz Direct, Admiral Intermediary Services, Linear, Genertel, Zurich and price comparison websites such as facile.it.

read more

Hackers offer decrypt key to Irish Health Service with a catch

While seeming to offer an olive branch — sharing a link to download the decryption key — the group reiterated its threats to disclose patient data unless Irish authorities paid the $20 million ransom demand.

“We are providing the decryption tool for your network for free,” the hackers said in the message posted on Thursday, which was reviewed by Bloomberg News. “But you should understand that we will sell or publish a lot of private data if you will not connect us and try to resolve the situation.”

read more