- Weather
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Max |
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40°C |
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Min |
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30°C |
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Sunrise |
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05 : 30 AM |
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Sunset |
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06 : 30 PM |
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Humidity |
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50 to 80 per cent |
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- Prayer Time
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Fajar |
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03:58 am |
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Dhuhr |
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12:09 pm |
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Asar |
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03:30 pm |
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Magrib |
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06:50 pm |
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Isha |
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08:09 pm |
- Oil Price
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- Gold Price
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Price in RO
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24ct / gm |
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17.37 |
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22ct / gm |
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17.00 |
- Currency Rates
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Forex Rates vs R01
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US Dollar |
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2.60 |
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Euro |
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2.01 |
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Pound |
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1.72 |
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Indian Rs. |
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144.42 |
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Pak Rs. |
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255.85 |
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Bangla Taka |
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201.35 |
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Guests from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Lebanon and Singapore discussed the use of buses, trains, taxis and ferries for public transport. Supplied picture
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Muscat: Members of public transportation authorities and companies, academics, and students from around the Middle East gathered at Sohar University on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the benefits and challenges of public transportation.
As the 5th UITP (International Association of Public Transport) Middle East and North Africa Assembly and second Youth Summit got underway, keynote speaker Sayyid Ibrahim Said Al Busaidi, Governor of Buraimi, said improving public transit in Oman would be hugely beneficial.
"I look at public transport as a one-stop solution for mobility, safety, in the promotion of tourism and diversified growth, as well as conservation of fuel and the environment," Al Busaidi said.
From the need for more public transportation in Oman, to the myriad benefits received by countries that have well-organised, vast public transit systems, the speakers, who came from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Lebanon and even as far as Singapore, discussed many aspects of buses, trains, taxis and ferries.
Guest of honour Dr. Rashid Al Safi Al Huraibi, Chairman of the Tender Board of Oman, said it was important for Oman to host such an event because it would create more public awareness and engage youth in the future of public transit.
"The majority of the users will be youth in the future. I feel this event is very important because it's starting the roadmap for our public transport. I think once good public transit is made available, with good quality and observance of schedules and meeting the requirements of the users, there will be a lot of users," Al Huraibi told Times of Oman.
Those involved in developing Oman's public transportation system only have to look next door for examples of how to build an efficient, well-used urban public transportation system. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi were mentioned as Middle Eastern cities that have drastically improved their public transit in recent years, and the importance of integrating public transit into city planning.
"If you plan for a city, you have to plan 100 years ahead. I think Dubai is a good example of this and it now includes public transit," said Tony Dufays, the Regional Director of UITP.
Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, from the Government of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, said there is good potential in Oman for public transportation, and said it would benefit the society as a whole. "People in Oman could save money using public transit, and so could the government," he said.
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