RIYADH: GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN GCC countries are planning to launch a European-style Schengen visa by mid-2014 to allow Gulf-based expats and foreign businessmen to move easily across the borders of the six-member bloc. The GCC interior ministers are working on the details of the project, which many b

18 Dec / Arab News Jeddah - The Shoura Council has endorsed a proposal to reduce the weekly working hours for employees in the private sector from 45 to 40 with a two-day weekend. The Shoura members, who met on Monday, adopted a number of amendments to the Labor Law and agreed to reduce total week

Dubai Government has increased salaries of its employees, said a statement issued today. According to a Dubai Government Human Resources Department statement, the Government of Dubai employees will receive increment between 30 to 100 per cent of their basic salary. Retroactively as of June 201

Lost your Emirates ID card, you can now get a replacement card in just 24 hours. Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) offers a premium service, charging Dh150 for issuing a replacement card. “The premium paid service is available at Dh150 per card,” a spokesperson told Emirates 24|7. To avail

The Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) has announced the launch of an innovative batch of its services through mobile phones and tablets allowing customers to perform a number of ID card-related transactions anytime and anywhere. First phase will allow Emiratis to renew their ID cards in two minu

Dubai’s successful bid to host the World Expo in 2020 will increase competition in the local job market, although a number of employees will benefit from salary increases of up to 25 per cent, industry experts said. The global event, considered the third largest in the world after the Olympics

Excitement and anticipation is building on Yas Island as an array of elaborately decorated cars descend on Abu Dhabi's entertainment destination in an attempt to break the Guinness World records title for the largest number of decorated cars in one location. With hundreds of vehicles expected to

Abu Dhabi: Etisalat has just announced offers that include free national voice minutes and text messages for customers to mark the 42nd National Day. Customers can subscribe to the UAE National Day Pack by sending “UAE42” to 1012 by SMS, and be eligible for 42 free local minutes, and 42 local S

  Dubai has been chosen to host the World Expo trade convention in 2020 - beating off rival bids from Brazil, Turkey and Russia.Fireworks exploded from the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, following the announcement in Paris. Dubai will be the first Middle Eastern city to hold

Etisalat is offering residential customers international calls to 162 countries for 1 fil per second as a permanent plan.  The new tariff is available to eLife and any residential landline in the UAE and follows the launch of Etisalat’s free unlimited local and national calls announced earlier th

Vice-President inaugurates Global Islamic Economy Summit in Dubai.  A long term view of the UAE’s potential to become a centre of excellence in all fields, including Islamic finance, was laid out by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE a

Health officials say resident or entry visas will not be processed unless the compulsory health insurance plan is submitted.  Dubai - From early next year, all residents and visitors to Dubai will be required to have a compulsory health insurance cover to be provided by their employers or sponsors.

Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, will inaugurate a world conference on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) at the Islamic University of Madinah on Tuesday. President of the university Abdulrahman Al-Sanad thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Pr

Etisalat is offering residential customers international calls to 162 countries for 1 fil per second as a permanent plan. The new tariff is available to eLife clients and any residential landline in the UAE and follows the launch of etisalat’s free unlimited local and national calls earlier this

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in his capacity as ruler of Dubai, has issued a decree appointing Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina as the General Commander of Dubai Police. The decree took effect f

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, announced the launch of its “Sharjah City Check-in Terminal” in Safeer Mall, Sharjah. Located on Dubai-Sharjah Highway, the facility is Air Arabia’s third check-in service outside of an airport, followin

Latest update: Two major accidents have been reported from Abu Dhabi, with eye witness accounts warning of water logging en route to the international airport. Ahmed Bilal, who is on the roads, admitted to being forced to stop his car for a while, as visibility was almost nonexistent during his m

Dubai: The UAE public sector has enjoyed twice as many holidays as the private sector since the previous National Day, figures show. A tally by Gulf News shows the federal government granted 20 holidays to the public sector and 9 to the private sector from December 2, 2012 until now. T