Riyadh:  Saudi health officials say another five people have died after contracting a potentially fatal Middle Eastern respiratory virus that has sickened hundreds. The Saudi Health Ministry provided the death toll in its latest update on the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) yesterday.

RIYADH: The Kingdom and the Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a joint initiative on Sunday to share information, research findings and practices amid global efforts to contain the spread of the MERS coronavirus. The decision was taken following talks between A

The Ministry of Labor plans to shift all its services online soon, including the paperwork for domestic workers, and early warnings for companies it decides to move into the Red Zone of the Nitaqat System, a ministry official has said. “We are trying our best to improve the performance level of o

A prominent labor expert has suggested that the Kingdom will require expatriate manpower in various sectors over the next 40 years. Abdullah Dahlan, former Saudi representative to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Business and Tech

Sharjah: The three workers who were found dead in a car polishing shop on Tuesday had been living in the shop illegally and died during their sleep, it has been revealed. The victims — two Bangladeshis and one Egyptian — died after breathing in carbon monoxide from an idling car inside the Al A

The Passport Department in Saudi Arabia is sending SMS messages to expatriate men and women urging them to give their biometrics and those working for them in order to protect their rights and receive quick services. Col. Badr Al-Malik, director of media affairs and the department’s spokesman, sa

Dubai: The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) saw a flurry of activity as it opened its doors on Monday at the World Trade Centre. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched Dubai’s new brand, which will be used in the

Dubai: A top official has denied reports that expatriates seeking to sponsor families in Dubai need to have a minimum salary of Dh10,000. Maj Gen Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director of Dubai’s General Directorate for Residency and Foreigner Affairs (GDRFA), said news reports in some newspapers cl

Official says there has been no change and transactions are continuing for Dh4,000 Dubai: An official at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs has denied reports the minimum salary limit for sponsoring a family has been increased to Dh10,000. “So far there is no change,

Manama: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) interior ministers on Wednesday endorsed a recommendation to set up a Gulf police (GCCPOL). The ministers also agreed at their meeting in Kuwait, the chair of the current GCC session, to set up a permanent GCC bureau at the United Nations in the Austrian c

According to the Ministry of Labour, employers are not allowed to keep the passports of their employees in their custody as per the law. A proposal to impose penalties on companies which withhold passports of their employees will be submitted to the Federal National Council for its consideration,

Dubai : Sponsoring families in Dubai has become dearer for expatriates who must now draw a minimum individual monthly salary of Dh10,000, or Dh9,000 with accommodation. The decision to hike the eligibility level by Dh6,000 (it was Dh4,000, or Dh3,000 with accommodation before) was made last week

Dubai: Commuters will have to shell out an additional Dh3 to travel between Dubai and Sharjah on public buses, following a hike announced by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of both Dubai and Sharjah. The bus fare on all Dubai-Sharjah routes will increase from Dh7 to Dh10 with effect fro

Dubai: Eight private schools in Dubai have shown overall improvement, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) report for the academic year 2013-14 showed. Out of the 141 schools inspected, 12 were rated outstanding, 57 rated good, 34 rated acceptable and eight rated unsatisfactory.

Abu Dhabi: An ambitious pension scheme introduced by the Indian government for workers in the lower-income wage bracket is expected to gain momentum, a top diplomat said here on Sunday. T P Seetharam, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said although only 202 Indian workers in the UAE had enrolle

27 April, 2014 | Rohail Khan | Bhatkallys News Jeddah: Over 400 Saudi businessmen, celebrities, and socialites gathered at the Salem Regency Banquet Hall on the eve of 23rd April 2014 to celebrate nine years of growth and prosperity of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the dynamic leadership of  Cust

Manama: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has arrived in Jeddah, the Red Sea city worst hit by the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) coronavirus, to reassure the people there, a Saudi official said. “The king decided to move up his visit to Jeddah after the media exaggera

Road accidents in Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries rose by 11 percent to 950,000 in a year, a recent study said. GCC accidents rose from 853,700 in 2011 to 945,400 in 2012 with Saudi Arabia topping the list with 589,258 accidents, followed by Qatar (252,614), Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Bahrain. E