Ransomware attacks are forecast to see a sharp rise, with the number of victims publicly named on leak sites projected to grow from 5,010 in 2024 to more than 7,000 by the end of 2026, according to figures from insurer QBE. This would represent a rise of around 40%, and almost a five-fold increase since 2020, when just 1,412 victims were listed.

Two members of the public have been killed and an attacker shot dead by police following a terrorist incident outside a Manchester synagogue this morning. Greater Manchester Police said the attack occurred at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road, Crumpsall, at 09:31, when a car was driven towards members of the public and one man was stabbed.

Julia Graham is stepping down from her role as chief executive of Airmic, with Diane Maxwell set to succeed her. Maxwell will join the association next month as CEO designate before formally taking over in Spring.

Willis has introduced a new parametric insurance policy that pays out automatically when a red weather warning is issued by the UK Met Office or Met Éireann. Developed in collaboration with Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, the product is particularly relevant for hospitality businesses.

Boards may often express confidence in their cyber readiness but recent high-profile incidents show how fragile that assurance can be under pressure. According to Willis’s Cyber in Focus 2025 report, based on 4,650 cyber claims, losses tend to be longer, broader and costlier than many leaders expect.

Vehicle ramming attacks are on the rise globally. A stark illustration of the threat came on Sunday in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, where at least five people were killed and eight others wounded after a gunman rammed a vehicle into a church, began shooting, and set a fire in an attack that remains under investigation.