Author: Editorial Team

MAKKAH — Saudi Arabia recorded a 22.5% increase in Umrah visa arrivals at the start of the 1448H Umrah season, with 931,500 pilgrims entering the Kingdom on Umrah visas between Dhul Hijjah 15 and the end of Muharram, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program announced. The two entities also said more than 1.27 million pilgrims arrived from abroad during the same period, reflecting continued growth in the Kingdom’s Umrah sector as part of the goals of Vision 2030 and the Pilgrim Experience Program. The ministry said the figures underscore the leadership’s continued support for serving…

TEHRAN — Iran said on Saturday it has suspended its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, accusing the United States of violating the agreement as military hostilities between the two countries continue. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Washington had failed to uphold its obligations under the Pakistan-brokered memorandum. “The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU,” Gharibabadi said in remarks carried by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. “We have also suspended our commitments, we are not implementing them, and we are busy defending the country,” he added. The Islamabad memorandum,…

A two-year-old Filipino girl who was abandoned as an infant has returned to the Philippines after spending most of her young life in the care of a shelter in Dubai. The child arrived safely on July 9, 2026, via a commercial flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), through the coordinated efforts of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and authorities in the UAE. She was accompanied by a Migrant Workers Office, Dubai Social Welfare Attache, Cherrylene G. Girado. Since she was four months old, the girl had been under the care of the Family Village in Al Warqa, Dubai.…

ASUNCIÓN, 18th July, 2026 (WAM) — Santiago Peña, President of the Republic of Paraguay, received Humaid Obaid Abushibs, Chairman of the UAE Accountability Authority, and the accompanying delegation during an official visit to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic of Paraguay and advancing bilateral cooperation in the fields of oversight, governance, integrity, and anti-corruption. During the meeting, President Peña praised the distinguished relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Paraguay, reaffirming the shared commitment of both countries to further strengthen cooperation and expand collaboration in areas of…

DRAMMEN, Norway — More than 100 homes were destroyed after a massive blaze swept through a residential neighborhood in the Norwegian city of Drammen, in what authorities described as the country’s largest residential fire in modern history. The fire broke out in a townhouse at around 3:30 p.m. on Friday before rapidly spreading to neighboring homes and nearby forested areas, police said. Firefighters continued working on Saturday to bring the blaze under control, while hundreds of residents were evacuated from the affected area. The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection described the incident as the largest residential fire of its kind…

ASIR — Three Ethiopian nationals were arrested by the Saudi Border Guard in the Asir Region for attempting to smuggle 17 kilograms of hashish and 7,500 amphetamine tablets. Border Guard patrols in the Raboua Sector of the Asir Region arrested the suspects for violating the Border Security Law after they were caught attempting to smuggle the narcotics. Authorities said the necessary preliminary legal procedures were completed, and the suspects, along with the seized narcotics, were referred to the competent authority. The Border Guard urged the public to report any information related to drug smuggling or trafficking by calling 911 in…

UAE residents can expect generally fair to partly cloudy skies at times on Sunday, July 20, with some clouds to appear eastward and southward, according to the latest weather forecast. Temperatures are expected to reach 44°C in Abu Dhabi, 43°C in Dubai and 42°C in Sharjah, with overnight lows of 32°C in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and 31°C in Sharjah. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Humidity levels are expected to range between 30 per cent and 80 per cent in Abu Dhabi, 20 per cent and 65 per cent in Dubai, and…

SHARJAH, 18th July, 2026 (WAM) — The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) has completed a project to connect natural gas services to Dibba Al Hisn at a total cost of AED35 million. The project was implemented in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to develop an integrated natural gas supply project for Dibba Al Hisn in accordance with the highest standards. The natural gas connection project in Dibba Al Hisn was divided into three main projects, which were carried out simultaneously.…

RIYADH — Saudi authorities arrested 15,836 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws during nationwide joint inspection campaigns conducted over the past week. The Ministry of Interior said the campaigns, carried out between 24 Muharram and 1 Safar 1448 AH, resulted in the arrest of 7,892 violators of the Residency Law, 4,617 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,327 violators of the Labor Law. Authorities also arrested 1,631 people attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally, of whom 65 percent were Ethiopian nationals, 33 percent were Yemeni nationals, and 2 percent were of other nationalities. Another 42 people were…

Dubai Police have warned residents against fraudulent advertisements offering work, residency or visit visas in exchange for money, saying scammers are increasingly targeting victims through social media platforms and messaging apps. According to the Anti-Fraud Centre at the General Department of Criminal Investigation, fraudsters often use the names of unlicensed companies or impersonate official entities to trick people into paying for fake visa services. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. As part of its ongoing “Be Aware of Fraud” campaign, the centre urged residents to complete all visa applications only through the relevant…