Articles by David McFadden

Eight Days After Cyberattack, Baltimore’s Network Still Hobbled

More than a week after a cyberattack hobbled Baltimore’s computer network, city officials said Wednesday they can’t predict when its overall system will be up and running and continued to give only the broadest outlines of the problem. Baltimore’s government …

Maryland Hits Record-High Drug Deaths, Fueled by Fentanyl

Maryland, a state that already had one of the country’s most punishing overdose mortality rates, notched a record-high number of drug deaths last year. The grim milestone was fueled by an alarming increase of fentanyl-related fatalities. Despite renewed efforts to …

Body Found of Man Who Disappeared Amid Maryland Flooding

Searchers scouring a river alongside an historic Maryland town ripped apart by flash flooding found the body of a man last seen being swept away by the raging waters as it gutted shops and pushed parked cars into swollen tributaries. …

After Pair of 1-in-1000 Year Floods, a Maryland Town Seeks Safeguards

The deadly flash flood that devastated a Maryland town’s historic center in July 2016 was dubbed a 1-in-1000 year event. Less than two years later, an even more treacherous flood ravaged the town, gutting shops and killing a visitor. Exasperated …

Caribbean Insurance Company Clico Faces Liquidation

A bailout of troubled CL Financial Ltd. by Trinidad and Tobago’s central bank has been having ripple effects across the Caribbean, where regulators are liquidating the sprawling firm’s insurance subsidiaries to protect depositors. The Trinidad-based conglomerate, weakened by bad real …

Earthquake in Nov. First to Trigger Caribbean Disaster Insurance Pool

A powerful earthquake that rocked the eastern Caribbean last month has for the first time triggered use of an insurance pool that provides emergency cash to regional islands after a significant natural disaster. The magnitude-7.4 quake, which was centered beneath …

Caribbean Insurance Pool Not Affected by Hurricane Dean

Hurricane Dean will not trigger an insurance pool set up this year by Caribbean countries and the World Bank that provides emergency cash to islands in case of natural disaster, officials said this week. The hurricane, which killed at least …

Catastrophe Bond Investors to Gain from Mild Hurricane Season

Investors who bet against the odds of another devastating Atlantic hurricane season now stand to cash in big-time on “catastrophe bonds.” Contrary to expert predictions, the season turned out to be the mildest in years. Insurance companies sell the bonds, …