Two major earthquakes hit Venezuela

589 deaths have been confirmed so far, but estimates suggest that the number of fatalities could be much higher

Japan raises tourist visa fees 400% after record 42.7m arrivals

Visa fees for visitors to Japan will rise dramatically from July in a long-delayed overhaul aimed at aligning charges with G7 levels amid record inbound travel

DRC Ebola response cost soars to $1.4bn as cases rise

Funding needs for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola response have surged to $1.4 billion as confirmed cases and community transmission continue to rise

ABI backs consumer education drive as alternative to standardised insurance products

As scrutiny grows over consumer understanding of insurance products, the ABI is positioning a long-term public education campaign as the preferred alternative to standardised cover requirements on comparison websites

Insurance tech platforms integrate real-time payments across 200-plus countries in cross-border deal

Acclaim and Trulydata have partnered to unify embedded payments and insurance administration, enabling real-time cross-border processing of premiums, claims, and commissions across 200-plus countries

EU orders urgent Airbus A380 checks, raising flight delay fears

The inspections, mandated after wing-spar cracks were discovered, risk short-term fleet removals, raising the prospect of delays and cancellations for Emirates and Qantas services