Jeddah,Saudi Arabia

Health officials have closed down an “illegal” women’s fitness centre attached to a hospital in Jeddah, it was reported on Wednesday.

Gyms or fitness clubs for women continue to be illegal in the kingdom, despite the growing popularity of underground venues.

“Anyone who violates regulations governing the running of health facilities would be punished severely because this involves people’s health,” Muhammad Abdul Jawad, director of the Medical Licensing Administration, told Arab News.

He warned clinics and hospitals that officials regularly inspect health facilities to make sure they are following regulations.

Saudi’s municipal and rural affairs ministry recently closed two other gyms in Jeddah and one in Dammam, in eastern Saudi Arabia.

JAIPUR: Habib Hussain of Moradabad, who hid in a toilet on an Air India flight from Saudi Arabia to return to his own country, says he did so for his two children, his pregnant wife, and an ailing mother. After his bizarre experience, Habib says he has realised that `aadhi roti' (half a piece of bread) at home is better than one in an alien land. He also said Indian labour is sold like cattle in that country.

I have got an offer to work for a MNC HAVING OFFICE in Saudi Arabia, JEDDAH & RIYADH.

Can any body tell me what will be the cost of living there ??

The basic salary hike is 28% from my current Basic in QR.

The company is providing me Housing Allowance of SR 3850/-

I am married with one kid.

Thanks in advance for your reply...

Does he qualify for the husband of the year award ????

JEDDAH: The floods shocked many, especially a Saudi wife whose husband fled for his life and left her to drown in a car filling up with water. Pakistani truck driver Shahzad (not his real name) witnessed the cowardly act.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when this man left his wife to die. I couldn’t bear the sight of the drowning woman shouting for help,” he said.

“I got down from the truck and half swam and half waded to her and carried her on my back and brought her to safety.

We were petrified from what we saw happening around us. The woman was crying a lot. We waited till the Civil Defense helicopter came to rescue us.”

Arab News

JEDDAH – Described as the worst in 27 years, flooding killed at least 77 people in Jeddah Wednesday after a heavy downpour, a Civil Defense statement said Thursday. Authorities identified 21 bodies, for Saudis, and handed them over to their families.

The downpour paralyzed the entire city, just two days ahead of the Eid holidays, leaving the city’s shaky infrastructure crippled, perhaps for years to come.

The Jamia (University) Bridge on the Haramain Highway, in eastern Jeddah, partially collapsed and was closed to traffic. A few old houses in the Jamia District collapsed as well.