Source: Business Insurance

September 25, 2019 German automaker Volkswagen AG’s current chief executive and chairman, as well as its former chief executive, have been charged with market manipulation in connection with the diesel emissions scandal of 2015, Live Mint reports. German prosecutors have accused chief executive Herbert Diess, chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch and former chief executive Martin Winterkorn of deliberately informing markets too late about $33 billion that the company had to bear because of the scandal.

Source: Business Insurance

September 25, 2019 Officials expect the collapse of U.K.-based travel group Thomas Cook Group PLC to cost the Bulgarian tourism industry around $56 million, Business Insider reported citing Reuters. The company owes $40 million to more than 50 hotels on the coast of the Black Sea.

Source: Business Insurance

September 19, 2019 Regular explosions within Istanbul’s Orhanli industrial zone are threatening flights at the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, Xinhua reported. Meanwhile, a huge fire broke out at Ema Chemical Systems-Huntsman’s chemical factory located within the industrial zone on Sep. 18, forcing evacuation of the compound.

Source: Business Insurance

September 19, 2019 Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized a tanker in the Persian Gulf for allegedly smuggling 250,000 liters of diesel to the United Arab Emirates on Sep. 16, True News Source reports citing ISNA. The detention follows drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities on Sep. 14.

Source: Business Insurance

September 19, 2019 Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc. expects to pay out more than 110 billion Japanese yen ($1 billion) in claims for typhoon Faxai, The Japan Times reports. The typhoon made landfall in Japan’s Chiba prefecture on Sep. 9 and caused widespread damage.

Source: Business Insurance

September 17, 2019 The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said that Toyota Motor Corp. has recalled 82,756 vehicles fitted with Japan-basedTakata Corp.’s airbags, myGC reports. The recall relates to the passenger side front airbag inflators in Yaris, Corolla and Avensis vehicles. “As it gets older, a combination of high temperatures and humidity can cause the airbag inflator propellant to degrade,” the recall notice said.

Source: Business Insurance

September 17, 2019 Spain’s Insurance Compensation Consortium expects insurance claims related to damage caused by heavy rains and flash floods in southern and eastern Spain to total at least €142 million ($157 million), The Olive Press reported. The amount includes damage to businesses, homes, and vehicles, but excludes structural damage.

Source: Business Insurance

September 17, 2019 Bermuda-based reinsurance and retrocession linked investment manager Markel CATCo Investment Management Ltd. said that investors in its listed fund are exposed to potential losses from hurricane Dorian and typhoon Faxai, Artemis reports. The hurricane is expected to cause insurance and reinsurance losses of up to $8.5 billion, which will cause some minor losses in retrocessional insurance-linked securities or collateralized reinsurance markets.

Source: Business Insurance

September 17, 2019 The Enforcement Directorate of India said that U.K.-based consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has been fined 2.3 billion Indian rupees ($32 million) for allegedly violating provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, The Economic Times reports. An investigation revealed that PwC and its functionaries allegedly received nearly $50 million of foreign investments in the guise of grants.“During the course of investigation it was revealed that PwC had received $4,98,42,747/ equivalent to Rs 229 crore as purported grants from PricewaterhouseCoopers Services BV. The funds so received as ‘grants have been utilised for various business purposes including acquisition of other Indian companies and paying non-compete fee and accordingly a complaint was filed,” said the agency.The adjudicating authority during the course of adjudication had held the company guilty of violation of section 10 (6), 6(2), 6(3) and 9 (b) of FEMA, for receiving investments in the guise of purported grants in non permitted sector without the approval of government or RBI and imposed penalty of Rs 230 crore on PwC Pvt Ltd and other penalties on office bearers of companies including past and present chairman and directors, the agency said.

Source: Business Insurance

September 16, 2019 Heavy rains have caused 10 billion Indian rupees ($140 million) worth of damage to coffee crops in the Indian state of Karnataka, The Times of India reported. The rains have damaged around 150,000 hectares of coffee estates in three districts.