Indian domestics: Hiring to begin ‘in two weeks’

January 5, 2014

Jeddah, Jan 5: A joint meeting of Saudi and Indian labor officials will be held soon to finalize procedures for the recruitment of domestics to work in the Kingdom, said Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi. He said the recruitment process would begin within two weeks.

Ravi, however, added that the decision to launch the recruitment initiative on the basis of the new agreement would be taken by the Saudi Labor Ministry. “We hope the agreement will determine the relation between the employer and employee and this is a very significant achievement.”

The two countries signed a labor cooperation agreement on Thursday that will cover about a quarter of the 2.8 million Indians working in Saudi Arabia. “It will be a stepping stone for a more comprehensive pact covering all Indian workers in the Kingdom,” an Indian official said.

Ravi, who signed the accord with Saudi Labor Minister Adel Fakeih, said: “This would go a long way in protecting the interests of Indian workers.”

Ravi thanked the Saudi minister and the Kingdom for hosting thousands of Indian workers “who have contributed to the economic development of Saudi Arabia and continue to be one of the most disciplined, law abiding, and hard working communities.”

Fakeih also emphasized the significance of the agreement, which regulates contractual relations between employers and domestics, ensures authenticity and implementation of the employment contract, promises action against recruitment agencies violating laws and seeks to establish a mechanism to provide 24 hours assistance to domestic workers.

A standard employment contract would set out minimum wages, working hours, paid holidays and a dispute settlement mechanism.

Terming India “an important and active partner at more than one level,” Fakeih said the agreement was in the context of the protection of the rights and regulating the labor relations between employers and employees as per international regulations and treaties.

“This important agreement is the result of the excellent relations between the two countries,” the Saudi minister said, adding that the two sides have agreed to set up a joint committee of senior officials to address obstacles.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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