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Reports that France-based Framatome and Germany-based Siemens AG plan to combine their nuclear energy businesses as of December 7, 1999. Details of the planned nuclear energy venture.

The article looks at how St. Paul Travelers Cos. Inc. of Minnesota is discussing the possibility of a merger with Zurich Financial Services of Switzerland. The author reviews how Zurich Financial is one of Europe's largest insurers. The author suggests that talks related to the potential merger is the latest sign of ferment in the insurance industry.

The article reports that students of math professor Nicole El Karoui are in high demand in financial circles. El Karoui teaches the math required to calculate derivatives at the Ecole Polytechnique in France. Her students have gone on to work for governments, international organizations, and the world's most prominent investment banks. Investments banks are making more of their profits from derivatives and require employees with extensive mathematical training.

The article reports that French regulators are investigating whether the hedge fund company GLG Partners was involved in insider trading. The investigation centers on whether GLG co-founder Pierre Lagrange profited from information about a convertible-bond deal from entertainment company Vivendi Universal. London-based GLG Partners is one of the largest hedge funds in the world.

This article reports that Norwich Union, the largest automobile insurer in the Great Britain, has set up its own medical clinic to treat victims of car accidents involving its policyholders. The insurance company, which is owned by Aviva PLC, figures that by having its in-house doctors and physical therapists provide quick treatment to its policyholders or people making claims against policyholders, it can speed up their recovery, thereby cutting costs associated with the injury, and limit the possibility of adversarial legal claims later. The clinics specialize in the treatment of whiplash cases that make up 80 percent of the injury claims on the company's car-insurance policies. This is the latest example worldwide where insurance companies are taking steps to contain rising accident claims. In the United Kingdom, the number and monetary value of bodily injury claims have soared since legal reforms passed in 1999 made it easier for civil plaintiffs to seek redress for accidents in the courts.

The article reports that, in the latest aftershock from the massive frauds at Enron Corp. and WorldCom Inc., insurers and investment banks are locked in a bitter standoff over hundreds of millions of dollars. Banks, including Bank of America, are attempting to reclaim part of the money they paid in fines and settlements related to the frauds, stating that insurance policies they bought should cover payments the banks made to investors to settle class-action lawsuits over the banks' roles in advising WorldCom and Enron. There is a larger question about how much companies can rely on broadly written insurance policies to cover unanticipated losses stemming from alleged wrongdoing.

The article profiles giant European insurer Allianz AG of Germany and its chairman Michael Diekmann's efforts to make the company more efficient. Mr. Diekmann has streamlined Allianz's Italian units, introduced a new structure for its German insurance business, and adopted new corporate statutes to qualify as one of the first truly "European" companies. However, some shareholders feel that he needs to do more if shares in the company are to compete with rivals. Since the start of the cleanup Allianz's shares have increased 18%. However, they are still lagging behind the company's biggest rivals.

Discusses "catastrophe bonds" or "cat bond", with a focus on Kamp Re bonds. The amount of loss in Kamp Re claims that Zurich Financial Services is expected to have from Hurricane Katrina; Speculation that Kamp Re investors have been wiped out; Indication that Swiss Re issued the bonds for Zurich Financial; Information about the market for cat bonds, which were introduced in the 1990s as a way to provide insurance companies with an alternative to reinsurance.

Recalls the attempts of New York state's attorney general Eliot Spitzer to clamp down on conflicts of interest in the insurance and brokerage industries. Brokers who arrange insurance coverage for corporate clients who are creating concern in the London insurance market by seeking to levy new fees on insurance; Corporate insurance buyers and industry executives who contend that the fees are similar to those that drew Spitzer's ire; How the new fees are being justified by brokers; Details of a civil-fraud lawsuit filed by Spitzer against Marsh & McLennan; Comments from Ken Carter, the chief executive of U.K. broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT), on why JLT is considering reneging on their commitment to no longer charge insurers.

Focuses on the business operations and policies at Lloyd's of London insurance company and how they have helped the company's rivals in the pursuit of corporate-insurance accounts. Description of Lloyd's procedure to accepting deals for insurance coverage; Percentage of all of Lloyd's policy slips that contain at least on error; Description of the claims process; Questions arising from Lloyd's method of doing business, noting arcane and antiquated practices; How rivals have been able to exploit Lloyd's antiquated practices to their benefit.

Focuses on the government of Haiti, which is preparing a legal brief demanding nearly $22 billion in "restitution" from the French government. Value of gold francs paid by Haiti to France in exchange for Haiti's independence and its recognition as a sovereign state in 1803; Comments from Haiti's president Jean Bertrand Aristide; Economic conditions in Haiti, suggesting restitution from France would help alleviate economic troubles; Reaction of the French government to the demand; Foreign relations between the two countries.

Profiles Lloyd's of London and Rolf Tolle, the person responsible to act as overseer to the company's underwriters, a collection of several syndicates and insurance groups. Comments from Peter Levene, Lloyd's chairman, regarding the cyclical nature of the insurance industry and restricting the overall exposure the collective underwriting can bear in any one area; Anticipated outcomes of a review of the syndicates' business plans for 2004; Comments from Tolle regarding his involvement in the syndicates' exposure to particular sectors.

Reports that European insurance companies, such as Allianz AG, AXA SA and Zurich Financial Services, will sell their stakes in other industries. View of author that the move will result in a restructuring European financial and industrial companies; Historical relationships between the insurers and industries in which they held stakes; Comments from Daniel Hoffman, a spokesman for Zurich Financial, regarding their new business strategy.

Reports on the efforts of the French government to assimilate Muslim immigrants in French schools. Percentage of Muslims within the 60 million inhabitants of France; Example of a Muslim girl who wanted to wear a scarf to school, which was seen as a divisive religious symbol; Efforts of Hanifa Cherifi, a native Algerian now living in Paris and the person in charge of mediating these types of squabbles for the French Education Ministry; How Europe and France have become an attractive place for immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East; Comments of Roger Fauroux, president of France's High Council on Integration regarding the long standing French policy that immigrants must shed their old culture and, in essence, become 'French'; Indications that France's immigrant policy is not working, resulting in ghettos rife with crime and Islamic extremism.

The article reports on the decision of bond insurer MBIA Corp. to settle civil probes by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the New York attorney general and the New York State Insurance Department regarding the alleged misuse of finite-risk reinsurance.

Reports that Mexico has issued catastrophe bonds to cover against the risk of earthquakes.

Deals with the investigation facing Swiss-Israeli banker Gabriel Katri over money-laundering charges in Switzerland.

Reports on the continuous financial discrimination against immigrants in Europe.

Reports on the informal discussion between the NYSE Group Inc., operator of the New York Stock Exchange, and European exchange company Euronext NV, focusing on a possible merger in 2006.

Reports on the plan of two corporate-governance groups at steel manufacturer Arcelor SA to recommend at the company's meeting in April 2006 that some Arcelor directors should not be re-elected.

Focuses on the move of Colette Neuville, a French shareholder activist, to criticize Arcelor SA for its takeover defense against Mittal Steel Co.

Reports that steel company Arcelor SA transferred its Canadian business operations to a Dutch foundation.

Reports on the effort of European stock-exchange operator Euronext NV to fend off shareholders seeking to force it into a shotgun marriage with Deutsche Börse AG.

Reports on a separate shareholder pacts being prepared by a group of French banks and a group of industrial companies that list through European stock-exchange operator Euronext NV as of April 3, 2006.

Reports on the decision of British insurer Aviva PLC to withdraw its unsolicited takeover offer for Prudential PLC in March 2006.

Reports on the plan of Arcelor SA CEO Guy Dollé to block Mittal Steel Co. from selling Dofasco Inc. to ThyssenKrupp AG in Canada.

Reports on the plan of Richard Harvey, CEO of Aviva PLC, to take his case for a merger with fellow British insurer Prudential PLC directly to shareholders in 2006.

Reports that life insurance company Prudential PLC has rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from rival Aviva PLC.

Reports that stock exchange operator Euronext NV agreed to continue exploratory talks about a merger with Deutsche Börse AG.

Reports on the net profits posted by insurer Aegon NV in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2005.

Reports on the move of Lloyd's of London to hire Richard Ward, former head of the International Petroleum Exchange, as chief executive officer.

The article reports on a hostile bid made by Mittal Steel Co. to buy steel producer Arcelor SA in January 2006.

This article presents an update on the plans of Swiss Reinsurance Co. to shift insurance risks off its balance sheet and onto the world's capital markets as of December 8, 2005.

Reports on the estimated amount of losses from a series of hurricanes in the U.S. incurred by member companies of Lloyd's of London.

Speculates on the implications of the appointment of Jacques Aigrain as CEO of Swiss Reinsurance Co., succeeding John Coomber.

Reports on the agreement by Swiss Reinsurance to purchase the insurance business of General Electric Co.

Reports on the concerns of human rights groups regarding efforts to control the riots in France, as of November 2005.

Reports on the call of French senator Alima Boumédiène for the inclusion of ethnic minorities in the political leadership of the country.

Reports on allegations involving Siemens AG and DaimlerChrysler AG in an Iraq-oil fraud as of October 28, 2005.

Reports on the difficulties faced by European airlines in insuring their aircraft against an attack with a weapon of mass destruction as of October 20, 2005.

Reports on the efforts of corporate insurance buyers to avoid the likey rate increases that insurers will demand to restore profitability after incurring losses from hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the U.S. as of September 26, 2005.

Reports on the estimated loss of LLoyd's of London as a result of the insurance claims filed in relation to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of New Orleans as of September 2005.

Reports on the plan of Allianz AG Holding to launch a series of initiatives to streamline its European operations including a buyout of minority shareholders in its main Italian subsidiary Riunione Adriatica di Sicurta.

Reports on the increase in claims costs for property-casualty insurance companies due to hurricane Katrina that hit the U.S. in August 2005.

Reports on the impact of the terrorist bombings in London, England on the U.S. and Great Britain insurance industry as of July 8, 2005.

Reports on the economic impact of insurance industry accounting rules in Europe in 2005.

Discusses the issues surrounding the improperly boosted financial earnings of several international subsidiaries of Zurich Financial Services AG in May 2005.

Reports on the combined stake acquired by U.S. investor Carl Icahn and Swedish fund manager Christer Gardell in Finnish engineering conglomerate Metso Corp. in May 2005.

Reports on preliminary negotiations for insurer Old Mutual PLC to acquire Sweden's Skandia AB in May 2005.

Reports on the subpoenaes received by French insurer AXA SA from U.S. authorities, over a 1998 reinsurance transaction with U.S. bond insurer MBIA Inc., as of April 2005.