Pet insurance grows 3.5-fold in three years... insurance industry moves to boost awareness A chart shows the number of pet insurance policies in South Korea rising sharply from 51,727 in 2021 to 251,961 in 2025. Graphic by Asia Today and translated by UPI April 15 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's pet »»»

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said the UAE has the right to seek guarantees to prevent the repetition of cowardly Iranian attacks and to be compensated after the Iranian aggression against GCC countries. “The Iranian regime has attacked everyone in the Gulf, ev»»»

1 of 4 | White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds an illustration on Wednesday of the proposed Triumphal Arch that President Donald Trump wants to build. Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI | License Photo April 16 (UPI) -- The Commission of Fine Arts voted Thursday to OK President Donald Trump's pla»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov Thursday expressed concern over what he described as systemic abuses within Bulgaria’s healthcare financing system, where hospitals exploit legal loopholes in order to maximize their profit and not to improve patient care, and demanded changes in the applicable»»»

Sharjah : Seventy schools and nurseries from across the UAE took part in the third edition of the “My Green Environment is My Future” initiative, it was revealed when the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah honoured winners during a closing ceremony at Al Dhaid Wildlife Muse»»»

Lebanon and Israel have agreed to observe a 10-day ceasefire that begins at midnight Beirut time, the United States said. Below is the full text of the statement that was agreed to by the Government of Israel and Government of Lebanon, as published by the U.S. State Department: "Following productiv»»»

The International Monetary Fund said the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan were facing a pivotal and exceptionally difficult moment in their modern economic history after the war that broke out on Feb. 28, 2026, describing it as a severe and multifaceted shock to one of the world’s most strat»»»

Plastic sheeting serving as tents and mattresses laid on the ground: in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, the widows of fallen soldiers are struggling to survive in a makeshift camp. They say they fled the capital of North Kivu province, Goma, after it fell to the M23 rebels in January 2025. Left»»»

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast (C) arrives by car at the Metropolitan Cathedral to attend aass and a 'Prayer for the People of Chile and the New Government' in Santiago on Sunday. Photo by Allen Diaz/EPA SANTIAGO-Chile, April 16 (UPI) -- Chilean President José Antonio Kast announced a package »»»

Tunis, April 16 (TAP) - Tunisia's Ambassador in Paris Dhia Khaled received President of the Syndicat des Entreprises du Tour-Operating (SETO) Patrice Caradec, at a meeting held at the embassy to promote Tunisia as a destination in the French...»»»

In a speech in Riyadh in May 2025, US President Donald Trump appeared to criticise his White House predecessors, including fellow Republican President George W. Bush, for invading Iraq in 2003, bringing down Saddam Hussein’s regime, and trying to rebuild the Iraqi state. Trump’s barb was at “so-cal»»»

The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, speaks at a pro-government event in Caracas on Monday to commemorate National Dignity Day, which marks the return of the late former president Hugo Chavez to the presidency after being ousted in a coup. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez/EPA April 16 (UPI)»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Museums Authority is marking the 30th anniversary of Sharjah Science Museum under the slogan “Thirty Years of Scientific Achievement”, celebrating three decades since the museum first opened its doors on April 17, 1996, and its continued role in promoting hands-on learning and scie»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, April 16: We take a look at the latest coverage from the Russian independent papers. Next: a story about how new technologies are helping the elderly to combat loneliness. Also: a baby elephant has a similar story to that of Punch the monkey. Finally, why did a British»»»

Three men have been arrested on Crete accused of letting off celebratory gunshots in the air, an old but illegal practice on the southern island, police said Thursday. Two of the suspects were arrested Thursday in the Iraklio area for shooting their guns in the air on Easter Saturday night, during »»»

Paris, France: A Paris court on Thursday handed a former silverware keeper at France's presidential palace a two-year sentence for stealing hundreds of thousands of euros worth of luxury items between 2023 and 2025. Thomas M. was ordered to wear an electronic tag for a year, with the second year su»»»

The owners of the only spa hotel in Vratsa Region - Ariel in Mezdra - will expand their operations with a renovated facility at their Wine & SPA complex ChaTony in the village of Darmantsi, where a spa centre and new accommodations will be built in the family-owned winery this July. The owner of bo»»»

Dubai: Dubai is set to launch its first commercial air taxi service this year following a progress review of the world’s inaugural vertiport near Dubai International Airport. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of th»»»

Tunis, April 16 (TAP) - Twelve Tunisian companies partook in the Djazagro: Agro-food production trade show, held April 12-15 in Algiers (Algeria), the Export Promotion Center (French: CEPEX) said Thursday. Founded in 2003, the tradeshow Djazagro...»»»

Dubai: The UAE has held a series of high-level meetings with global finance leaders in Washington, focusing on strengthening financial partnerships, expanding tax frameworks and reinforcing its role in supporting international financial stability. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques »»»

Matt Rossi spent about $1,700 on StubHub for access to the first weekend of Coachella, which wrapped up Sunday, traveling from Manhattan to the California desert for the popular annual music festival. He received a wristband (the festival’s form of ticket) in the mail with a handwritten note from h»»»

A new wave of African dust is affecting Greece this week, creating hazy skies across parts of the country, although experts say the phenomenon is milder than previous episodes. According to the National Observatory of Athens, the dust plume began moving over Greece earlier in the week and is expect»»»

Dubai: The future of travel is here. At least, according to Air New Zealand, which said it will begin selling access to its Economy Skynest sleep pods from May 18, 2026. The airline is offering lie-flat sleeping berths to economy and premium economy passengers on some of the world’s longest commerc»»»

1 of 3 | Virginia Lieutenant Gov.-elect Justin Fairfax arrives to speak at the official Democratic watch party at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., in 2017. Fairfax and his wife, Cerina, died by murder-suicide Thursday. File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI | License Photo April 16 (UPI) -- Former»»»

Sydney: Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle claimed Thursday she has been "bullied and attacked" on social media every day for a decade and was "the most trolled person in the entire world". The 44-year-old former American actress made the comments during the couple's four-day tour of Australia, as t»»»

The key vulnerability in this plan lies in the gap between the European assembly of the "carcasses" and the Ukrainian installation of the "brains,” suggests military journalist Aleksey Borzenko, deputy chief editor of the Literary Russia newspaper. Speaking to Sputnik, Borzenko argued that the arra»»»

Dubai: Barings has opened a new office in Abu Dhabi, expanding its presence in the Gulf as it looks to strengthen ties with institutional investors and capture growing demand for alternative investments in the region. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The move follows th»»»

DUBAI: A mid-afternoon taxiing manoeuvre at one of India’s busiest airports took a sudden turn on Thursday when a SpiceJet aircraft collided with a stationary Akasa Air plane at Delhi airport, triggering an aviation safety probe even as all passengers and crew escaped unharmed. The incident occurre»»»

Europe has “maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in a wide-ranging Associated Press interview, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a»»»

Dubai: Parents in Dubai could soon be held legally responsible for their children’s unsafe use of electric scooters, under a new draft law aimed at curbing rising safety risks on the roads. The proposed legislation—prepared by Dubai Police in coordination with key partners including the Roads and T»»»

Qaqortoq, Denmark: A commercial aircraft landed on Thursday for the first time in Qaqortoq, Greenland's fourth-largest town, whose new airport means that the whole of the Arctic island -- coveted by US President Donald Trump -- has international connections. The flight between Nuuk, the Greenlandic»»»

President of the Economic Freedom Fighters Julius Malema greets the crowd at the party's final election rally in 2024. Malema was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison for firing a gun into the air at a rally. He is appealing. File Photo by Stringer/EPA April 16 (UPI) -- South African politic»»»

Europe, Middle East and Africa President of Snap, Ronan Harris (L), and Wifredo Fernandez, director of global government affairs at X, leave No. 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday morning after meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss ways to protect children safe when they are on social»»»

Damascus, April 16 (SANA) Syria’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the transfer of military sites previously operated by U.S. forces to the Syrian government, saying the move marks a step toward restoring state control over all territory. In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said the handover reflects»»»

UAE schools are heading back to in-person learning from Monday, April 20, but the return looks different depending on which school your child attends. While some schools have told parents their campuses will not be opening on that date, others are requiring students who travel by private transport »»»

SCOR, a leading global reinsurer headquartered in Paris, offers its clients a diversified and innovative range of reinsurance and insurance solutions and services to control and manage risk. In 2025, the Group generated premiums of EUR 18.7 billionand serves clients in more than 150 countries throu»»»

A 33-year-old man died early Wednesday after falling from the roof of a residential building in central Thessaloniki. The incident occurred shortly after midnight, when the man was found on a sidewalk below the building. Authorities said initial findings show no evidence of foul play. An investigat»»»

UAE schools are heading back to in-person learning from Monday, April 20, but the return looks different depending on which school your child attends. While some schools have told parents their campuses will not be opening on that date, others are requiring students who travel by private transport »»»

In the heart of the Liwa desert, an Emirati-led project is helping protect wildlife and preserve heritage, with a focus on breeding the houbara bustard, a key symbol of the UAE’s desert environment. The project, led by Ahmed Hayay Al Mansoori, began as a personal initiative and has grown into a str»»»

Pontianak, Indonesia: Rescue crews in Indonesia searching for a missing helicopter carrying eight people on Thursday, April 16, 2026, found debris suspected to be from the aircraft, officials said. The helicopter, owned by local firm Matthew Air Nusantara, took off from the West Kalimantan province»»»

In a new series of interviews launched today, BR set down with Roxana Memetea, Managing Director DDB, and talked about her wishes for 2026, both for the agency and the advertising industry, clients and what they are looking for, trends and many more. By Romanita Oprea How did you start the year / W»»»

Dubai: In a scenic lake-side resort in Geneva, miles away from Dubai, Indian reality star, model, and influencer Farhana Bodi logs in for our conversation with her usual polish and flourish. She was on a work trip for a luxury watch event and was naturally composed, camera-ready, and effortlessly g»»»

“First-quarter results in the table egg segment show a significant increase in sales volumes, against a backdrop of steadily rising average prices. This trend confirms the validity of the decisions we have made in recent years to expand production capacity in a region with growing consumption trend»»»

Dubai: Pakistan on Thursday said no date has been set for the second round of talks between the United States and Iran, urging the media to avoid speculation as diplomatic consultations continue under a highly confidential process. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, during »»»

An anti-France activist and influencer has been arrested in South Africa for “inciting rebellion” by openly supporting last year’s foiled coup in Benin. Kemi Seba was born in France to Benin parents but was stripped of his French nationality two years ago for his many attempts to fuel anti-French s»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic and military outreach across the Middle East this week in a coordinated effort aimed at easing regional tensions, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif toured key Gulf capitals while the country’s army chief held high-level talks in Iran. The parallel engag»»»

Dubai: Etihad Airways has introduced a limited-time pricing offer for its Pets Onboard service, lowering the cost of travelling with cats and dogs in the cabin in response to rising demand from passengers. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The airline is offering the ser»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy has successfully test-fired a locally developed ship-launched anti-ship missile, accurately striking its target at extended range in a live exercise that underscores the country’s growing precision-strike capability and maritime deterrence. In a statement, the military said»»»

An Israeli strike has severed the last bridge linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, a senior Lebanese security official told Reuters on Thursday, adding that the strike “shattered” the bridge and left no possibility of repairing it. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported t»»»

More than a dozen people, including at least one child, have been killed in Russian missile and drone attacks on infrastructure and residential buildings in Kyiv and in other Ukrainian cities like Odesa and Dnipro overnight to Thursday. Several dozens of civilians were also injured in the assaults.»»»