Muscat - The potential of Karnataka as an ideal investment state was put forth by captain Ganesh Karnik, Deputy Chairman of the Government appointed NRI Forum Karnataka, who visited Oman from Tuesday to Friday. He appealed to Oman NRIs to take advantage of the good industrial climate of the state an

MAKKAH: About two million pilgrims listened with rapt attention to Imam Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais' soul-stirring 40-minute sermon on Friday from the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The sermon was carried live on state television and many Arab, African and Asian television stations. On many occasions during the

JEDDAH: Citizens and residents will now be able to get exit/re-entry visas for their dependents through their mobile phones via SMS. The service, which costs SR20 per visa after initial registration, is aimed at reducing lines at Passport Department offices.Raid Mohammad Al-Hussain, spokesperson for

Qatar is considering ending the oft-criticised sponsorship system, under which employers sponsor foreign workers and have a great deal of control over them. Qatar's prime minister Sheikh Hamad said on Thursday, "Changes have been made to the sponsorship system in Qatar," and the council of minister

MAKKAH: There are only 72 hours to go before pilgrims head to the nearby tent city of Mina on the first leg of their five-day journey of a lifetime. All roads across the Kingdom are leading into the holy city where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received the first verses of the Holy Qur'an

JEDDAH: Pilgrims will be able to take advantage of the recently completed Jamrat Bridge's fifth floor this Haj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. Pilgrims can reach the top floor of the SR4.2 billion ($1.12 billion) multilevel structure with the help of escalators and stairs. The 9

Abu Dhabi: The Labour Ministry will soon issue a decision allowing workers, whose contracts have ended, to join new jobs if the market is in real need of them, a senior official told the Federal national Council (FNC) on Tuesday. Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Labour, said in a statement sub

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