Middle East

Jeddah, Aug 6: Authorities are gearing up to ensure the timely departure of foreign Umrah pilgrims over the next few days as the current Umrah season draws to a close. Almost 90 percent of foreign Umrah pilgrims had left the Kingdom by the end of Ramadan, while remaining pilgrims continue to leave the country daily. The last departure date for foreign pilgrims is Aug. 11, according to officials.

Abu Dhabi, Aug 6: As the UAE’s real estate stages a strong rebound from historic lows after the global financial crisis, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is seen to be an active player in the emirate’s fast-growing industry. The legendary film star, entertainment mogul, sports magnate and the business-savvy actor is going to be back in the emirate’s property business with a bang by launching a

Jeddah, Aug 5: The Labor Ministry has closed down an employment firm for alleged involvement in various malpractices, including swindling money from Saudi trainees and private companies and making up nationalization figures. The company had signed contracts with a several firms to recruit Saudis after training and instead, used Saudis who are not registered with the General Organization for Social

Jeddah, Aug 4: A Saudi-French archaeological team has unearthed in Najran what might be considered the oldest inscription in the Arabic alphabet, said a spokesman from the French Foreign Ministry. “The epigrapher Frédéric Imbert, a professor at the University of Aix-Marseille, found the Nabatean Arabic inscription about 100 km north of Najran near the Yemeni border,” said the spokesman. “The first

Abu Dhabi, Aug 3: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received at his palace in Jeddah Sheikh Gen. Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi conveyed the greetings of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to the King. In turn, the King sent his greetings to President Khalifa

Jeddah, Aug 3: Gulf ministries of Health have taken all health measures to prevent Ebola virus patients from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, and other African countries from entering any Gulf country, said Professor Tawfiq Ahmad Khoja, director-general of the Executive Health Office for Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The measures are being adopted as the World Health Organization warned west

Abu Dhabi, Jul 31: As people across the UAE celebrated Eid Al Fitr, the Abu Dhabi Police tracked down a drug dealer and arrested him in an operation aptly code-named ‘operation Eid’. The police recovered 18.5kg of marijuana from the accused, which he planned to sell during the Eid holidays. The police also recovered Dh100,000 from the suspect, who is a Gulf national. Colonel Dr Rashid Mohammed

Riyadh, Jul 31: The ordeal of a stranded Indian family from Hyderabad finally came to an end with the climax being the wishful Eid Al-Fitr celebration with family and friends at home as they departed from King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh to India, celebrating the festival on Tuesday. The Saudi government, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Shifa Al-Jazeera Hospital and some Indian social

Jeddah, Jul 30: The festive fireworks that mark the beginning of Eid ended in tragedy for a Riyadh family when a 14-year-old boy died on Monday evening trying to burst a firecracker. The latest incident comes among several other firework-related casualties during the Eid holidays. Firecrackers are still widely available on the streets of Jeddah, Makkah, Taif, Riyadh and other cities despite strict

Jeddah/Riyadh, Jul 29: Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, performed Eid Al-Fitr prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in the presence of a massive congregation. He was joined by Prince Bandar bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, Prince Khaled bin Fahd bin Khalid and Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin. Custodian of