Author: Editorial Team

DUBAI, 23rd May, 2026 (WAM) — Dubai Airports has prepared to welcome over 3,600 pilgrims during this year’s Hajj travel period, with nearly 59 percent of all UAE pilgrims passing through its terminals. Hajj departure flights will operate until 23rd May on services by Emirates, Saudia, flydubai and flynas. An operational readiness plan, developed to ensure safe, coordinated and efficient passenger flow during travel peaks, was built in close coordination with airline and government partners including Dubai Police, GDRFA, Dubai Customs, the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS), dnata, Dubai Duty Free, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), the Roads…

For UAE pilgrims already registered and approved through the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, the final days before travelling for Hajj come down to one practical task — packing the bag. The first thing for pilgrims to do is start with ihram — the sacred spiritual state and specific attire every pilgrim must enter before performing Hajj. For men, this means carrying two white garments, ideally with a spare set, as they can quickly become soiled in the heat, along with a money belt for essentials. Meanwhile, women have no fixed ihram dress, but loose and modest…

A Dubai resident whose smartphone vanished from his home managed to trace it using modern tracking technology, helping police uncover a theft involving a part-time domestic worker and a delivery rider who was accused of possessing stolen property. According to court records, the Arab resident returned home to discover that his smartphone had gone missing after his wife informed him it could not be found inside the house. Suspecting it had been stolen, he immediately activated the “Find My Phone” feature through another device and began monitoring for any signal linked to the missing handset. Days later, he received an…

The UAE’s health and emergency authorities have confirmed the country’s readiness to respond to any emerging health developments, including the Hantavirus. The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) made an important announcement, stating that authorities are “monitoring continuously and that all measures are focused on protecting the community and maintaining the highest readiness”. The authorities noted that the country’s health preparedness and monitoring procedures are continuously reviewed and updated in line with international best practices and approved standards to ensure the highest levels of public safety and health security.…

BUNIA —An angry crowd set alight a section of a hospital at the heart of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo on Thursday after family and friends of a young man thought to have died from the virus were prevented from taking his body away for burial. “They started throwing projectiles at the hospital. They even set fire to tents that were being used as isolation wards,” local politician Luc Malembe Malembe told the BBC about the scene he witnessed at Rwampara General Hospital. In the chaos, police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. The arson attack in Rwampara…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.] The UAE and four Arab Gulf states have issued a statement rejecting Iran’s establishment of a so-called “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” that has been falsely characterised as a sovereign governance entity to manage vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. “This entity’s latest announcement on the purported scope of its supposed jurisdiction outrageously claims to include the territorial waters of neighboring States, including the UAE, in clear violation of the sovereignty of those States.…

MANAMA — US President Donald Trump reiterated Washington’s commitment to ensuring security and stability in the Gulf region amid “continued Iranian violations of international law and regional aggression”. In a letter addressed to King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, the US leader also expressed admiration for the nation’s unity against Iran’s violations of international law, the Bahrain News Agency reported. The exchange highlights ongoing security coordination between Bahrain and the United States as part of their long-standing defense and strategic ties, BNA said. Bahrain’s air defenses have intercepted and destroyed at least 188 ballistic missiles and 477 drones launched…

With the Eid Al Adha break shaping up to be one of the most travel-friendly long weekends of the year, UAE residents are locking in quick escapes and doing it fast. With the official public holiday starting from Tuesday, May 27, to Friday, May 30, residents with a Saturday–Sunday weekend can easily turn it into a six-day break. And that’s not all. For those looking to stretch it even further, adding just one day of annual leave on the Monday before the holiday can turn it into a nine-day trip, making it ideal for those longer getaways. But this time…

As Eid Al Adha approaches and slaughterhouses prepare for one of the busiest periods of the year, Hamriyah Municipality has intensified hygiene inspections, sterilisation drives and emergency preparedness measures to manage the expected holiday rush safely. Municipal teams have stepped up readiness operations across Al Hamriyah slaughterhouse and key public facilities amid expectations of increased crowds, higher demand for sacrificial services and heavy movement in public areas during the Eid break. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Mubarak Rashid Al Shamsi, Director of Hamriyah Municipality, said the municipality has implemented a comprehensive operational…

The care nurses provide doesn’t stop at hospital doors. Beyond wards and clinics, nurses in the UAE often find themselves in a first responder role by circumstance. On May 12, International Nurses Day, several nurses shared how they remained calm and acted quickly when emergencies unfolded in public and at home. Miracle Villart, a nurse at the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), recalled being woken up by sirens and seeing flames near her residential building late at night. While residents rushed away from the scene, she moved towards it after spotting an injured man alone and in severe pain.…