Author: completebodyneeds

Water levels on the Rhine river are dwindling further, with no relief in sight, forcing companies that rely on the waterway to adjust rapidly to keep goods flowing.Levels at Kaub, Germany — the Rhine’s shallowest point — have fallen to the lowest since records began in 1880, and could drop further as another heat wave bakes Europe this week. Forecasters say it would take weeks of sustained rain to lift the river toward more normal levels, meaning the crisis could drag on into October. The Rhine is a key shipping route through Europe’s industrial heartland, from Switzerland to Rotterdam, the…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalized guidance for preparation and packaging of fresh-cut produce, recommending measures such as sanitation control, supplier verification and refrigeration to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. The guidance for ready-to-eat produce comes as ongoing outbreaks of cyclosporiasis and salmonella due to contaminated lettuce and jalapenos have sickened thousands of people in the United States. The cyclosporiasis outbreak, one of the largest foodborne illness events in recent U.S. history and linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, has spread to 15 states and hit Michigan the hardest. It has also shaken consumer confidence…

The US just sweltered through the warmest month ever recorded. The average temperature for the US mainland reached 76.9F (24.9C) in July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Monday. The US government has been tracking temperatures for 132 years. July’s average was around three degrees higher than the 20th-century average. It also exceeded the previous record set in July 1936 — during what’s known as the Dust Bowl — by about 0.1F, according to NOAA data. “This is what we expect on a warming planet,” says Andrew Pershing, a climate scientist at the nonprofit Climate Central. “In a…

Marsh McLennan Agency announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Accel Holdings, Inc., a leading diversified independent insurance and advisory firm headquartered in Waverly, Iowa. Terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close in the third quarter, were not disclosed. The Accel Group was founded in 1936, further establishing its legacy through a strategic merger with Millhiser Smith Agency in 2018, which itself was founded in 1928. Today, the firm provides commercial and personal insurance, employee benefits, and agribusiness solutions, as well as wealth management and retirement advisory services. The Accel Group operates seven offices across Iowa,…

St. Petersburg-based Mangrove Property Insurance, launched two years ago, has created its own reinsurance sidecar, the company announced. Grove Re Ltd., domiciled in Bermuda, will be a Class 3A insurer, designed to support Mangrove’s risk management and underwriting. Mangrove CEO and founder Steve Weinstein said the re firm will help enhance Mangrove’s risk transfer efficiency and use of capital. “The requirements to be licensed and operate in Bermuda are not trivial,” Weinstein said in a statement. “Our successful launch of Grove Re reflects Mangrove’s commitment to invest in both capabilities and financial protection to fulfil our mission of being a…

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…

A federal judge denied an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order sought by hemp businesses and consumers, allowing the Texas ban on THC products to continue until the case is resolved. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown of Galveston declined to lift the ban Sunday, saying the two hemp retailers and a distributor who filed the lawsuit hadn’t sufficiently demonstrated irreparable harm from the ban on interstate commerce. The request for preliminary injunction, which allows for fuller briefing and an evidentiary hearing, remains pending before the court. “A temporary restraining order is emergency relief, held to one of the toughest…

Multiple proposed class-action lawsuits have been filed over the nationwide cyclospora outbreak, blaming Taco Bell and Taylor Farms for selling contaminated lettuce that has sickened thousands and led to two deaths. At least two of the lawsuits are in federal courts in California, the state where the defendants have offices or representatives. Lead plaintiffs reside in Florida, West Virginia, Kentucky and other states, court filings indicate. In one, lead plaintiff Michael Giles, of Brooksville, Florida, claims Taylor Farms sold iceberg lettuce to Taco Bell, which was used in restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Florida. The risk…

The US Midwest and Ohio Valley, including Chicago and Cincinnati, face an enhanced, or level 3, risk of severe thunderstorms. That’s triggered numerous flood warnings and watches from Indiana into western Pennsylvania and Virginia, the National Weather Service said. As of 7 a.m., up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of rain had fallen in parts of Ohio, with police reporting flooding near Fairfield and Hocking counties. New York City is forecast to have a high of 88F (31C) with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Tuesday. There is also a coastal flood watch up for parts…

The North Carolina General Assembly last month confirmed workers’ compensation attorney and former Deputy Commissioner Tyler Younts to a six-year term on the state Industrial Commission. A few days later, the state’s commissioner of labor, Luke Farley, designated Younts to serve as chairman of the Commission, starting last week. Younts “I am deeply honored by the confidence Commissioner Farley has placed in me,” Younts said in a statement. “I look forward to serving the people of North Carolina and working with my fellow commissioners and the dedicated staff of the Industrial Commission to ensure the fair, efficient, and impartial administration…