A huge expansion project for the historic Baqie Al-Gharqad cemetery in Madinah is ready for launch shortly, an official at the Presidency of the Holy Mosques said. “The largest expansion in the history of the graveyard which will double its area to 300,000 square meters comes as part of the current

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cabinet on Saturday announced the names of dozens of extremist groups that have been put on its list of terrorist organisations. The list, which is in line with the anti-terror law issued by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in August, includes major ter

RIYADH: In a major crackdown, Riyadh police have arrested 360 expatriates staying illegally in the Kingdom including 60 wanted men. Police teams, acting on a directive from Riyadh Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz carried out raids on foreign workers involved in criminal activities incl

Abu Dhabi: Water and electricity tariff for both Emiratis and expatriates had been revised with effect from January 1, 2015, in an apparent move to minimise government subsidies. Utility tariffs in Abu Dhabi have been heavily subsidised by the government. The electricity subsidy in residential

RIYADH: The Cabinet condemned on Monday the Al-Ahsa attackers as murderers and welcomed an initiative by scholars, intellectuals and preachers to counter extremism in the country. Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, chaired the meeting at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

Statistics from the Cooperative Office for Guidance & Community Enlightenment (Dawah) in Al-Rawda have revealed that 4,219 persons converted to Islam during the last Hijri year. The figure included 1818 men and 2401 women from 181 countries. The office said that its program targets non-Muslim

Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, leads the ceremonial washing of the Kaaba on Saturday.

JEDDAH: Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has slammed the terrorists who gunned down seven people this week, for trying to destabilize and divide the country. “What happened in Al-Ahsa is an example of brutal aggression and a great injustice. This is carried out by sick minds seeking

The Ministry of Haj has warned that foreign pilgrims face stiff fines, deportation at their own expense, and a year ban from the Kingdom if they fail to leave Saudi Arabia by Nov. 8. Hatem Qadi, spokesman of the ministry, said recently that there would also be heavy penalties for those who harbor

Dubai: Tickets for the Dubai Tram will cost Dh3, irrespective of the distance travelled. The 10.6-km tramway, which is on track to open on November 11, is connected to Dubai’s automated fare collection system, Nol. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had earlier said that the fare for the

Passengers departing from Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport have expressed shock and disappointment at the new rule limiting the amount of Zamzam water they can carry with them. Earlier, passengers could take a minimum of 10 liters of Zamzam water per person, but the new rule limits t

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai issued Law No 13 of 2014 amending bylaws of Law No 22 of 2006 regarding traffic tolls in the emirate. In its first article, the new law amends a bylaw in the

MADINAH: Police have arrested 706 illegal expats in Madinah over the past week. “Police and other security forces have arrested more than 31,400 illegal workers since the campaign against labor and residency law violators began across the region,” said Col. Fahd Al-Ghannam, Madinah police spokesm

KUWAIT: Indian embassy in Kuwait has simplified the visa procedure for Kuwaiti nationals as well as expatriates living in the country with an aim to enhance travel to India for business, tourism, medical treatment and study purposes. The embassy said it has issued 10,000 visas this year, as again

RIYADH: The MERS coronavirus has killed four persons and infected nine others, announced the Health Ministry on Thursday. One of the latest victims of the deadly disease is an 84-year-old expatriate who lived in Taif. The nine latest MERS infected patients, meanwhile, are all Saudi with the exce

Dubai: Traffic patrol officers have begun using Google Glass to issue fines and record traffic violations. “In our continuous effort to adopt the latest technology to help us curb traffic and reduce violations we have begun using Google Glass,” Col Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of Dubai Traf

Dubai: Shindagha tunnel, the second oldest crossing on Dubai Creek between Deira and Bur Dubai, is set to be replaced soon, Gulf News has learnt. The iconic tunnel, which is around 40 years old, is set to be replaced by a multi-lane bridge in the next few years, an official at the Roads and Tra

Jeddah: The Ministry of Labor will bar sponsorship transfers and new visas for companies in the lower end of the green (safe) zone of the Kingdom’s nationalization scheme in a bid to encourage these companies to further enhance Saudi-to-expat ratios. The decision was also taken to prioritize serv