GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Weekend news from around the world was filled with stories of travel accidents, with the worst by far a bus crash in Peru Saturday 13 April that reportedly killed 34 people and injured 9 0thers near Otuzco, about 570 km north of Lima. The bus went 200 metres down a ravine. Aljazeera [...]
N Zealand endurance bike race results in 2 heart attacks
October 31, 2011 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – One man died and another is in serious condition after they had heart attacks, just minutes apart, during an endurance bicycle race in Christchurch, New Zeland. Both suffered cardiac arrest not long after the grueling race got underway. Bob Hopkins, a longtime outdoorsman and fitness buff, age 61, died during the Giant 12 [...]
Toxic oil washes up on New Zealand beach in race against time
October 10, 2011 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – New Zealand officials closed Mt Maunganui beach as toxic oil from a tanker spill 5 October washed ashore. Crew and others are racing against time to offload the oil from the stricken vessel, Liberian-flagged Rena. The “cargo ship was carrying about 1,700 tons of heavy fuel oil and about 70 tons of [...]
Stage set for rugby semi-finals as England and South Africa go home
October 9, 2011 by
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – The Rugby World Cup came down to the final four after some hard fought matches, 9th and 10th October. Australia edged past the current champions, South Africa 11-9 in a closely fought and bruising encounter. New Zealand had to struggle in the first half but then upped the tempo to beat [...]
The New Zealand Press Association to close after 131 years
August 30, 2011 by
NEW ZEALAND – Journalism in New Zealand has suffered a tremendous blow with the announcement that its national news agency, the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA), will close its doors on 31 August after 131 years. The NZPA at one point dominated distribution of both domestic and world news to the country’s newspapers. However, a [...]
US weather catastrophes will cost at least $295m, says Zurich Re
June 20, 2011 by
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – The unusually high number of very severe weather events in the United States in April and May of this year will cost Zurich Re at least $295 million, for both Zurich North America and Farmers Re, the company says in a 20 June statement. This initial estimate, net of reinsurance and pre-tax, [...]
Australian ash flight disruption puzzles many fliers
June 15, 2011 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Perth, in western Australia, became the latest victim of a cloud of ash from a volcano in Chile Wednesday, with the airport stopping flights as a precautionary measure, starting at 13:00 and lasting at least a day, with disruptions to international as well as national flights. Qantas, Virgin Australia and other airlines [...]
Zurich Insurance expects to pay $500m for Q1 catastrophes
March 31, 2011 by
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Five natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region in the first three months of 2011 are likely to cost Zurich Financial Services Group $500 million, the company said in a statement Thursday 31 March. The figure represents an amount net of reinsurance and before tax. They are estimates only, the company cautions: [...]
NZ earthquake cost: $800m initial cost, says Swiss Re
March 3, 2011 by
Final bill could be $6-12 billion Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The cost of last week’s earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, is expected to be around $800 million, based on currently available information, Swiss Re says in a statement issued Thursday 3 March. The company’s chief executive Stefan Lippe notes that the human toll, in deaths [...]
