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.
Health
The European Commission has expanded its Ebola response with a €2.1 million purchase of PCR tests for the Bundibugyo virus outbreak. The agreement covers open-platform tests that laboratories can use with existing systems. Shipments are due to start in August as health teams confront a large outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and affecting parts of the wider region.
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.
