From the Editors: New pet insurance in UAE a blessing for all

NEW PET INSUARANCE IN UAE’S A BLESSING FOR ALL: A new pet insurance that has been introduced in the UAE covers sickness and emergency care and provides direct billing facility at ten veterinary clinics on the insurance provider’s network across the country, with 20 per cent co-payment. With insurance coverage for more than 350 breeds of dogs, including mixed breeds and all cat breeds, this new insurance scheme can indeed be a blessing for all those pet owners who often have to worry about mounting medical costs for their furry companions. Statistics on pet care in the UAE show that pet owners spend a minimum of Dh1,000 on an average when their pets fall ill and need medical intervention. This new pet insurance will therefore help ensure that owners are able to provide the best possible medical care and attention to their pets without worrying about the financial part. Apart from its financial benefits, what this new initiative also reveals is the UAE’s care and concern for life in general and the country’s firm resolve to make sure that every living creature finds a caring shoulder and a hospital surrounding to make the most of their existence. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

CONCERNS ABOUT ELECTIONS DON’T BODE WELL FOR LIBYA’S FUTURE: Will Libya’s much awaited elections on December 24 even happen? The vote is meant to be a culmination of a long and torturous UN-led peace process. Libya has been in a constant state of flux for the past decade, ever since long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in a people’s revolt and later brutally killed. The issue of the elections centres around the deep divisions between political blocs over the legal basis of the polls, and also who is allowed to stand and who is not. Such is the state of chaos that even those who are most likely to win in the elections are casting doubts about the ability of the country to actually hold the polls. There has been no announcement from those in charge that the election might not actually go ahead as planned. But there are growing indicators that the polls might be delayed. This does not bode well for Libya’s political future. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

CHRIS NOTH’S VERY PUBLIC FALL FROM GRACE: In the days since sexual assault allegations were levelled against TV actor Chris Noth, his very public fall from grace continues to grab headlines. Noth has not only been dropped from ‘The Equalizer’, but his close friends on ‘Sex and the City’ have also distanced themselves from the actor, with Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristen Davis issuing a joint statement in support of the women who have accused the actor of rape and assault. While three ladies have stepped up anonymously with their stories, director and actor Zoe Lister-Jones shared her own revelations about Noth on Instagram, accusing him of being “consistently sexually inappropriate” with a fellow female producer at a New York nightclub he owned and where she also worked when she was in her 20s. With his talent agency also dropping Noth in the aftermath of this scandal, it remains to be seen how this plays out in the coming weeks. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]