News
Nearly 22,000 Pakistanis deported from Gulf over four months for visa violations and begging highlights tightening immigration enforcement across the Middle East. The written statement submitted by the Ministry for Narcotics Control detailed that Saudi Arabia accounted for the vast majority of repatriations, expelling 15,500 Pakistani nationals during the four-month window. The United Arab Emirates deported 3,803 individuals, followed by Oman with 1,606 deportations, Bahrain with 521, Qatar with 429, and Kuwait with 97. A significant subset of the repatriated individuals involved 4,628 absconders, 1,294 individuals who served prison sentences, and 472 individuals specifically identified as beggars.
Business
July marked the second consecutive monthly record for imports by value. Crude oil played a major role in the increase as Japan faced higher energy costs. Crude import volumes rose 5.5% from July 2025, ending three months of year-on-year declines. The value of those crude shipments jumped 87.8% over the same period. Japan remains heavily dependent on imported energy, making changes in oil prices and exchange rates important factors in its merchandise trade figures.
Health
Australian researchers from Adelaide University and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute have identified a novel molecular switch that drives the spread of aggressive tumors. Published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, the breakthrough study reveals that Australian researchers uncover a promising new way to tackle triple-negative breast cancer by restoring a critical regulatory molecule known as miR-342. The discovery opens new avenues to prevent life-threatening secondary cancers in organs such as the lungs and bones. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for 10% to 15% of Australia’s approximately 21,000 annual breast cancer diagnoses but causes a disproportionate number of deaths. Lead investigators demonstrated that when miR-342 levels fall, a cancer-driving pathway called E2F becomes overactive, allowing dormant cancer cells to spread throughout the body and form dangerous secondary tumors. In pre-clinical models, scientists demonstrated that restoring miR-342 levels markedly reduced the spread of cancer cells to distant organs. Furthermore, researchers discovered that palbociclib, an existing CDK4/6 inhibitor drug currently approved for hormone receptor-positive breast cancers, significantly halted metastatic tumor growth in models exhibiting low miR-342 levels. The findings suggest measuring miR-342 levels could allow doctors to repurpose existing therapeutics to treat high-risk patients.
Travel
The route will give Gothenburg its first direct air connection with the United Arab Emirates. It will also create the city’s first nonstop link to the Middle East and Asia. Passengers from western Sweden can connect through Abu Dhabi to destinations across India and Asia. The new service also provides direct access to Abu Dhabi for travelers departing from the Gothenburg region. Göteborg Landvetter Airport serves Gothenburg and the wider western Sweden market.
South Korea recorded a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, its strongest monthly result since the COVID-19 pandemic. The figure marked a $1.44 billion improvement from June 2025, when the balance showed an $846.8 million deficit. Korea Tourism Organization data show June produced the second-highest monthly tourism surplus on record. Only October 2008 was higher, with a surplus of $661.5 million.
Spain has begun temporary border checks on travelers arriving from Italy by air and sea, effective from Aug. 8 to Sept. 7. The controls follow Italy’s own restrictions on arrivals from Spain and involve document checks for passengers at various airports. Italy introduced its measures after a large migration influx into Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave. The Schengen rules allow for temporary border controls in cases of serious threats to public policy or security.
Seoul, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – Government data released on Sunday showed that South Korea’s travel account…
DUBAI, UAE / RankWire.AI / July 16, 2026: flydubai will expand its Dubai to Bangkok operations to two…
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – The European Union has sanctioned its first comprehensive revision of air passenger…
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / RankWire.AI / – flydubai will restart daily nonstop flights between Dubai and Aleppo…
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / MENA Newswire / – Foreign tourist spending in South Korea reached a record 1.41…
Technology
Japan successfully launched its H3 rocket carrying the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite on Tuesday. H3 Flight No. 9 lifted off at 4:23:31 a.m. Japan time from the Tanegashima Space Center. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, confirmed satellite separation about 29 minutes and four seconds after liftoff. The agency said the rocket followed its planned flight path and placed QZS-7 into its predetermined orbit.
