Muscat -It was a feast for the Urdu lovers based in Muscat. The Indian SocialWing Urdu Wing, in association with the Embassy ofIndia, organised a top-level Urdu mushaira on Thursday, November 4at 7.30pm at Le Grande Hall of Al Falaj Hotel in Ruwi. Celebratedpoets from different parts of India grace

Abu Dhabi - Eid Al-Adha holidays for federal ministries and departments are to start on Monday, November 15th (corresponding to Dhul Hijjah 9th) and ends on Thursday, November 18th. The circular was issued by Humaid Mohammed Al-Qattami, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of the Federal

JEDDAH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) will launch its landmark air ambulance services during this year's Haj, said Capt. Abdulhamid Al-Jawfi, director of the Red Crescent's air ambulance operations. The service is being initiated to help pilgrims in case of accidents or emergencies. "The

MAKKAH: Chief Keeper of the Kaaba Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Shaibi passed away Sunday morning. Funeral prayers were observed after the noon prayer. The sheikh's family will decide who will be the next senior chief of Kaaba. The death of Sheikh Al-Shaibi will not delay the ritual of the changing of the K

Dubai: Seddiqi & Sons Investment, the real estate arm of the UAE's leading timepiece retailer, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Sunday launched the Rolex Tower on Shaikh Zayed Road near the DIFC, the first of its kind in the Middle East and the only branded Rolex Tower globally not owned and managed b

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Interior has denied rumours that it has stopped issuing visas to the immediate relatives of expatriate residents. Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Director-General of the Naturalisation and Residency Department, told Gulf News that visas are still being issued to

Abu Dhabi: Residents will soon be able to register for ID cards at selected Empost mail offices all over the country, apart from the registration centres of Emirates Identity Authority (Eida), a senior official told Gulf News on Saturday. The new initiative in partnership with Empost will begin in

Dubai:A top police official has warned the public to be on the lookout for counterfeit currency, which has been confiscated in several instances this year. "The three most counterfeited [currencies] we receive are the UAE dirham, the US dollar and the euro," said Aqeel Al Najjar, head of the Questi

The UAE and Saudi Arabia announced that Sunday will be the first day of Dhu Al Hijja. Dubai: The UAE and Saudi Arabia announced that Sunday will be the first day of Dhu Al Hijja. Accordingly, Monday (November 15) will be Arafat and Tuesday (November 16) will be the first day of Eid Al Adha. GulfNew

The transportation service will only carry worshippers between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa Riyadh: A Saudi official at the Central Haj Committee (CHC) has disclosed that pilgrims from the UAE, Qatar and Oman will not benefit from the train services to be launched for the first time during the coming

Move over Gregorian calendar. It's time to keep time the Hegirian - or the Islamic Hijri - way. A Swiss company has created the world's first mechanical clock based on the Islamic lunar calendar. Parmigiani that takes pride in being 'haute horlogerie authentique' (authentic luxury watchmakers) call

Indian President Pratibha Patil to visit Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah Abu Dhabi: Indian President Pratibha Patil will arrive in the UAE on November 21 for a five-day official visit. The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said the date of the president's visit was being finalised. But the UAE National Medi

Saudi Arabia's top clerics have challenged the government's policy to expand jobs for women with a fatwa ruling that they should not work as cashiers in markets. In the statement obtained by AFP the official fatwa issuing body said that "it is not permissible for a woman to work in a place where th

JEDDAH: Haj Minister Fouad Al-Farsy said Saturday that about 1.75 million foreign pilgrims would perform Haj this year, adding that they would be joined by some 250,000 faithful from within the Kingdom. Speaking to reporters after opening a workshop on crowd management at Jamrat in Mina, the minist

RAS AL KHAIMAH - President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent his condolences after His Highness Shaikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah died at dawn today in Ras Al Khaimah. The Dubai, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah and Umm Al Qaiwain

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia will hold talks with Russia over a potential draft nuclear agreement, Saudi state media said on Monday. The Gulf Arab state has said it is looking at various energy sources to satisfy rising domestic demand and has set up a nuclear research centre at the King Abdullah

Muscat -The hike in visa fees has been announced by the government following the amendment of the expatriate residence law. The fee hike, effective from October 19, does not include change in the employment visa charges. The fee for express visa, which is valid for three weeks from the date of entry

The case of Beebi Lumada, the Indian housemaid who died at Muscat International Airport, seems to be a closed issue for both Qatar Airways and the Indian authorities Muscat: The case of Beebi Lumada, the Indian housemaid who died after being stranded for five days at Muscat International Airport, s