THREE months have passed since I wrote a long article, “Iran dismisses sanctions threats”, in which I raised a few questions about the efficacies of sanctions against Iran. In fact, since the imposition of the latest and fourth round of sanctions by the United Nations Security Council the move against Iran has virtually watered down to almost n...more »

We all know that the Guinness World Records is a universally accepted and verified collection of record-breaking achievements, both manmade and natural. Undoubtedly, like all other countries, people of the Arab nations including those representing th...more »

In two days from now we shall be joining the Muslim brethren across the world in welcoming the holy month of Ramadan and observing the occasion with devoutness in an atmosphere surcharged with veneration, righteousness and piety. A marvellous gift fr...more »

Three golden words, ‘Salalah Tourism Festival’, effectively embody and mirror everything that the Sultanate of Oman stands for. The six-week festival of imposing and opulent celebrations offers on a soul-stirring canvas some unparalleled and uniq...more »

It definitely is the best expression of gratitude for our revered and beloved leader and the monarch, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Local newspapers have recently come out with a news story about signing of an agreement between ‘Sablat Oman�...more »

The new US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, we are afraid, will not be able to do anything either to ameliorate the plight of the Palestinians or bring in a resolution for the Palestinian cause. He is simply wasting his time and all...more »

On the arrival of the Jewel of Muscat to the Keppel Bay Port in Singapore, Oman Post issued a commemorative stamp depicting the route of the ship’s historic journey. The ship, Jewel of Muscat, represents the glory of our ancestors — the spiri...more »

NO doubt, the actual situation in the Arab world is pretty hard and distressing. This is because we are a strong and weak nation at the same time. This might sound paradoxical but the condition we live in is clear evidence the statement corresponds w...more »

THE Sultanate added another glittering international achievement to its long roster of achievements, both local and international, when the Ministry of Manpower signed on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical cooper...more »

TEN days ago, the UN Security Council passed a resolution slapping a fourth round of sanctions on Iran hoping to stymie the Islamic Republic’s contested nuclear programme. Twelve countries voted in favour of the resolution including the five vet...more »

THE National Committee for Civil Defence (NCDC) has once again proved its competence in handling unusual weather conditions. In an echo of the 2007 harrowing weather crisis, the committee got into act in double quick time and did its duty with total ...more »

WITHOUT doubt, the Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound ‘Freedom Flotilla’ in the dawn of Monday, May 31, 2010 is one of the most savage crimes in recent history. It seems the ruling power in Tel Aviv has been afflicted with a variant of mad cow dise...more »

IRAN has put the ball in the court of the Vienna Group — the US, Russia, France, and the IAEA — by signing a trilateral agreement with Turkey and Brazil for a nuclear fuel swap in a bid to defuse the standoff with the West. Under the deal, Ira...more »

A SYMPOSIUM on traffic safety was held last week under the theme ‘Yes to limit traffic accidents’ under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, adviser to His Majesty the Sultan. The five-day symposium, considered to be a...more »

THE Sultanate joined the world in celebrating International Workers’ Day on May 1 in honour of all workers worldwide irrespective of their gender. The celebration of International Workers’ Day, popularly known as May Day, was in recognition of th...more »

THE latest twin visits of Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council and Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, minister of environment and climate affairs, accompan...more »

SUDAN is the biggest country in Africa and the Arab world and 10th largest in the world with a total area of 2.5 million kilometres. Sudan’s economy is one of the fastest growing in the world, particularly after the recent discoveries of natural re...more »

THE official visit of President Abdullah Gul of the Republic of Turkey to the Sultanate last Monday was historic in every sense of the word. It was the first-ever visit made by a Turkish president to the Sultanate. The three-day tour was packed w...more »

IN my column published on December 6, 2009 titled “It’s high time to declare the Palestinian state” I had pointed out why Arab and international organisations should root for the declaration of an independent Palestinian state enjoying full sov...more »

IT is depressing to see the United States working relentlessly to get the international community to impose sanctions on Iran for its alleged attempt to make nuclear weapons though Washington could not show a shred of evidence to prove its allegation...more »

THE capital city of Muscat reverberated with the activities of the Sixth Muscat Film Festival from March 13 to 20 which succeeded not just in galvanising the relatively nascent film industry in the Sultanate but, perhaps most importantly, in throwing...more »

IF there is any country in the world known for rebuffing UN resolutions with unfailing regularity, it must be Israel. Despite its UN membership, Israel has thrown to the winds all the 33 resolutions issued against it by the UN. No doubt, it is quite ...more »

THE Arab Labour Organisation (ALO) was founded on January 12, 1965 with Cairo as its headquarters. Though there were only a few members in the beginning, the ALO has currently 21 members. Last week, the 37th Arab Labour Organisation Conference was...more »

THE Palestinian National Authority deserves commendation of Arabs and all the right-thinking people of the world for its brave decision to reject US calls for resuming talks with Israel. The US has been dispatching several envoys to the Middle East i...more »

A FEW weeks ago the Israeli Military Intelligence (Mossad) carried out a gruesome murder that shocked the international community and embarrassed Australia and some European countries. Hamas leader Mahmoud Al Mabhuh was found murdered in one of Dubai...more »

SINCE the dawn of the Blessed Renaissance, workers in the Sultanate have received all the care and concern they deserve from the government of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The crowning moment of this continuing saga of care and solicitude is p...more »

LAST week, some 500 economic experts from several Arab countries assembled in Muscat to discuss the investment climate in the Arab world and came out with some significant recommendations. The three-day conference, under the theme ‘investment an...more »

FIRST of all, I don’t think there is anybody — citizen or expatriate — living in this beautiful and loveable country who will disagree with me when I say that the Sultanate has reached the level of advanced countries in the world that have witn...more »

THERE is absolutely no doubt that the Ministry of Manpower is one of the key government departments offering its services to both the public and private sectors, particularly the latter. The Ministry of Manpower carries out a multitude of vital se...more »

THE declaration of a Palestinian state has become the much talked about issue in recent days. It is the absolute right of the Palestinian people to live in their land with dignity and have an independent nation like every other nation in the world. ...more »

ISRAEL has taken a series of hard knocks in recent days owing to its implacable stances and bellicose policies. These reverses, coming as they did in relatively rapid succession, will certainly have an impact on the Middle East policies of Israel and...more »

THE Sultanate is once again under the magical spell of the glorious and endearing day, November 18, when the citizens up and down the country go into paroxysms of joy. November 18, our National Day, symbolises the pride of our beloved nation in t...more »

THE symposium on sustainable development of the agriculture sector, held at Saih Al Masarat in the wilayat of Ibri, last week, was indeed paramount in its scope and reach. The intense and in-depth discussions which produced far-reaching and high-...more »

SOME 55 years have rolled by since the US started sending its envoys to the Middle East on peace tours. Henry A. Byroade was the first US envoy to Egypt after the 1952 Revolution. He was a US army general who later became assistant secretary of s...more »

SINCE the dawn of the Blessed Renaissance, Omani women, along with men, have contributed significantly to the development march of the Sultanate. Omani women would not have made such great strides in practically every field, whether it is social,...more »

THREE weeks ago, I had dealt at length on how the United States was thumbing its nose at the inalienable rights of Pakistan by infringing them at will, in my column headlined, “US advises others, but fails to practise what it preaches”. I had the...more »

COMMISSIONED by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the fact-finding mission on Gaza, headed by Justice Richard Goldstone, has prepared a report on the war launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip at the end of 2008 that lasted 22 days, well into ea...more »

THE international Quartet committee on the Middle East, along with the whole international community, has urged Israel to suspend settlement activity on the occupied Palestinian lands. The Quartet, comprising the UN, the US, Russia, and the EU, ha...more »

IT seems a bit bizarre that Washington has ventured to ask the government of Pakistan not to modify the US-made missiles it had sold the latter over the past several years while being constantly engaged in developing nuclear weapons without any compu...more »

THE statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week expressing his determination to build more settlements in the occupied Palestinian lands amount to a new challenge not only for the Arabs and the US but for the entire world a...more »

IN my Viewpoint column titled “Combating H1N1 requires huge funding” published last Sunday, I said that the “capabilities of the Ministry of Health for making available efficient treatment and extending all types of health facilities to citizen...more »

No doubt, the H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, which has spread rapidly across the world, needs collective and determined efforts for combating and eliminating its risks and blocking its further outbreak. This is particularly important for ...more »

IT is often amazing to see how the Zionist state of Israel gets away with the worst and most heinous crimes perpetrated against the Palestinians and the Arabs. Moreover, the frequency with which it actually does get away, primarily with blatant Ameri...more »

THE holy month of Ramadan began yesterday all over the world in the true spirit of the teachings of Holy Quran amid an atmosphere surcharged with spiritualism and solemn devotion in the minds of every single Muslim in the world. This holy month o...more »

It was a landslide, and indeed a revolutionary victory for dynamism and youth in Fatah’s central committee last week. Ushering in an era of a new energetic leadership, the mainstream Palestinian National Liberation Movement, Fatah, in its recently-...more »

NO doubt the state visit of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said last week to the Islamic Republic of Iran enhanced the bilateral relation and friendship between the Sultanate of Oman and Iran. The visit was incomparable and historic in the true sense ...more »

THE Swiss city of Geneva saw, last week, the first Omani-Swiss Business Forum, organised by Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), which (the OCCI) has always pushed forward Omani businessmen to further activate role they play along with their...more »

YEARS have glided away since July 23, 1970, the dawn of the Blessed Renaissance led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. We have been witness to 39 glorious years of development and achievements in a country once thought to be untouched by human ci...more »

I HAVE, of late, been closely following all the statements made by a host of Israeli ministers and top officials. Some queer, invidious statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, during a speech he delivered at the Bar-Ilan Un...more »

COUNTRIES worldwide have suffered quite a lot from the cataclysmic impacts of the international financial crisis ever since it was originated in the US ten months ago. This global financial meltdown can be traced to a cocktail of factors such as ...more »

I HAVE long been planning to write on this issue but the rapid pace of political events in the region has made me to delay it. I think at least now I should shed some light on what really happened when former US president George W. Bush did a wily tr...more »

IT has become almost like a habit for me to visit Lebanon at least twice a year. I was holidaying in Lebanon during the latter half of May this year, just ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections. I can say that my stay was as revealing as it w...more »

SEVERAL months before Iran’s presidential elections, Israel went into overdrive spreading rumours and false propaganda against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was seeking a second term as president. In the end however, Ahmadinejad waltzed through the Jun...more »

EVERY summer, Israel makes it a point to hurl salvos of threats against Lebanon with a view to terrorising its people and wrecking the tourist season. And for years on, this devious practice has continued. A few times the threats have graduated i...more »

NEWSPAPERS in the Middle East and across the rest of the globe were buzzing — and justifiably so — with the news of the visit of US President Barack Obama to the region last week, radiating dollops of hope and high expectations of a “new beginn...more »

THE United States and Israel have upped the ante, during the past few weeks, in their confrontation with Iran by stepping up threats against the latter’s nuclear programme. They reject Tehran’s assurance about the peaceful nature of the project. ...more »

THE Arab League’s categorical rejection of the renewal of economic sanctions against Syria by the US administration holds out a glimmer of hope for the Arab people as it bespeaks a commendable resolve by the 22-member organisation to adopt positive...more »

I HAVE noted with great interest a news item in the media recently about a few conscientious Norwegian lawyers who had filed a case against the top brass of the Israeli military and political personalities, including former prime minister Ehud Olmert...more »

THE city of Al Quds has bounced back into Arab cultural focus at a time when it is deemed to be almost out of the Arab cultural scene. On March 21 this year, the sacred city was declared the Arab Cultural Capital 2009. It is a matter of delight t...more »

A GREAT number of Arab writers and political analysts have not only accused Israel of sponsoring piracy activities that have recently been on the rise along the coast of Somalia but have also expressed their fears about the role of world powers in dr...more »

IT was indeed a big shock and disappointment to the international community that some super powers kicked up such a kerfuffle over the recent anti-racism conference called Durban II, hosted by the United Nations. That these countries, with a lot ...more »

ONE cannot but remain transfixed by the way things are panning out in the world these days. It is hard to fathom the skewed logic behind the wanton destruction, nay devastation, of the Palestinian lands carried out by the Israeli war machine with pre...more »

THE Sultanate’s official delegation, headed by Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, returned home last Thursday evening after a hugely successful visit to...more »

IT’S not unusual that Hosni Mubarak, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt, received a warm welcome and generous hospitality in the Sultanate during his recent visit to the country. The visit, both official and private, is a resounding testament ...more »

THE visit by Singapore President Sellapan Ramanathan to the Sultanate, last week, and his talks with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said signal a qualitative shift in the relations between the two countries. During the three days of his stay here, ...more »

THE recent warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), is unwarranted and shocking, to say the least. The decision, mired in controversy and swamped by various interpr...more »

THE visit of Lebanese President General Michel Suleiman to the Sultanate last week was, without doubt, a huge success. His talks with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said were enormously constructive and would certainly open new horizons of cooperation...more »

OVER sixty years have passed since the so-called foundation of Israel, a country deliberately implanted right at the heart of the Arab region and the Middle East as an unusual entity or a strange bedfellow. Auspiciously enough, we now sense some s...more »

TRUE to form, Israel has notched up a world record of sorts in a macabre art: killing civilians. The 22-day savagery on the Gaza Strip resulting in rivers of blood flowing down large swathes of the occupied territory is but a stinging, forensic evide...more »

THE two-day visit to the Sultanate by French President Nicolas Sarkozy last week, at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, was, without doubt, one of his most successful trips in the region. Predictably, one of the overarching iss...more »

WE witnessed a unique, stormy debate held as part of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 in Davos, Switzerland, 10 days ago, which showed up not just the all-too familiar hypocritical bias towards Israel but also the assertion of Arab honour...more »

I WROTE a pretty longish article last week entitled, ‘Zionist war criminals should face trial’. Today I am focusing on the overriding need to bring all the blood-tainted Israeli army generals before the International Criminal Court for ripping Ga...more »

THE Arab summit, held in Kuwait last week, rightly blasted Israel, the occupier of the Palestinian territories, for the war crimes it committed in Gaza during its 23-day diabolical offensive, sweeping aside human rights concerns and flouting internat...more »

THE Omani dream has come true. Our national team has bagged the 19th Arabian Gulf Cup, which is immensely important and most valuable to Omanis, who have been waiting for so long to present it as a gift to the nation. Indeed, all Omanis were filled w...more »

THE war unleashed by Israel, two weeks ago, against the peaceful Palestinian people in Gaza is, in reality, a war plotted by the US administration led by the outgoing president, George W. Bush. The ongoing brutal war, which is hallmarked by the m...more »

I HAVE been following the shameful and painful events in our Arab region ever since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. Thanks to my readings, I am aware of the aims of the West in choosing Palestine as a homeland for the Jews through what...more »

MUSCAT is all decked up to host the two-day 29th AGCC Summit starting tomorrow when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said will receive the venerable leaders of the AGCC Supreme Council. The citizens of the AGCC states hope that the summit would prod...more »

ON several occasions, the US administration has claimed that the current international financial turmoil, the provenance of which is the US, was triggered by the subprime mortgage crisis. This is, in fact, just a political propaganda and an attempt b...more »

THE controversial security pact between the US and Iraq was endorsed by a majority of votes in Iraq’s parliament on November 27, 2008 after long and heated arguments between the members of the country’s political parties. The ratification of t...more »

Two Gulf issues in focus at OCCI THE Sultanate, represented by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), hosted two significant seminars last week: The first on the ‘Gulf Common Market and the aftermath of the world financial crisis�...more »

IN my ‘Viewpoint’ column, titled ‘US reports imaginary, misleading’, appeared in Times of Oman, dated June 15, 2008, Vol. 34, No. 98, I had dwelt at length on the issue of the US State Department reports issued from time to time. In the said ...more »

THE month of November is marked by an air of great joy and profound hope with the whole Sultanate being immersed in mirthful celebrations that reach the zenith on November 18, our National Day, the day His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said was born. As ...more »

LAST Tuesday, November 4, was a great day in the contemporary history of the United States, when the American people chose Democrat Barack Obama as their new president in a milestone election, making him the first African-American president of the Un...more »

SOME 62 years have passed since the Palestinian cause, the first of the Arab causes, had its beginning. But unfortunately, neither has it seen a final settlement nor has it taken a step forward. The Palestinian cause is a constant concern for the...more »

OMANI citizens and local communities residing in the Sultanate have received the news of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said being selected as the ‘Personality of the Year 2008 for Justice and Humanity’ with utmost joy. The news, announced by Al A...more »

A NEW achievement has just been added to a long list of great national achievements throughout the last four decades of the wise government of the Sultanate of Oman led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The move resulted in an unparalleled joy f...more »

WHAT has the American citizen gained since George W. Bush became the president of the United States other than destruction and devastation, severe damage to the US economy and collapse of the US financial system, steep decline in the value of the US ...more »

A FEW weeks ago I had read a news item in local papers that the second ferry named ‘Hormuz’ had joined the fleet of the government-owned National Ferry Company (NFC). A few days ago the local papers reported that the NFC has reduced the Muscat-Kh...more »

THE cultural society in the Sultanate has warmly received the Royal Orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said forming a higher committee to study and evaluate the condition of theatre and drama in the Sultanate and to set a plan for the developmen...more »

DURING the reign of former Pakistani president General Pervez Musharraf the US administration had never dared to conduct any military operations in the Pakistani territories. But within a few days of President Asif Ali Zardari assuming power, the US ...more »

THE whole world remembers what had happened in the US on September 11, 2001, an incident known as the 9/11, which has changed the world since the first term of US President George Bush. The change has continued to take place for seven years in a row ...more »

THE days and nights of the month of Ramadan bring a happy news for all Muslims worldwide. Time changes year after year and so do the conditions for Muslims. But the holy month has never changed and continues to bestow its blessings and benevolences t...more »

FOR years Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, has been paying official visits to the Middle East as envoy of the US administration to meet the Palestinian and Israeli officials and discuss a reasonable resolution to the Palestinian cause. The...more »

HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has returned home after a successful foreign tour that started with a visit to the UAE and several European countries and concluded with visits to Libya, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar. In fact, His Majesty the Sultan''s m...more »

THERE is currently much talk about Iraq demanding the necessity for US troops to leave Iraq. This is in addition to the recent statement of Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari in which he stressed the need for setting a ‘very clear time frame’ ...more »

THE Chinese capital Beijing witnessed a huge celebration last Friday during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008, the 29th Olympic Games, at the Bird’s Nest stadium specially built for the purpose at a cost of $500 million. The celebration ...more »

I READ with much interest the news published last week in the local newspapers, both Arabic and English, about the Sultanate “currently studying formation of a human rights committee, which is the first of its kind in Oman”. Warmly welcomed by th...more »

NOWADAYS the Sultanate’s is celebrating the 38th anniversary of the Renaissance Day, which falls on July 23 every year, the most glorious and memorable occasion as it was on this day that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said had assumed power. Im...more »

The invisible hands have come back once again to hatch international conspiracies against Sudan after a relative calm in Darfur crisis, which involved serious external interventions in a bid to secure both the American and Israeli interests in the re...more »

A few days ago Dhofar governorate gladly welcomed the autumn season which brings with it a very pleasant and bright colour of green everywhere and an exceptional climate you’ll rarely see in the whole Gulf. The Salalah Tourism Festival will be ...more »

FOR the ninth year in a row I had the opportunity to attend the 61st World Newspaper Congress and the 15th World Editors Forum, hosted by Göteborg city in Sweden from June 1 to June 5, on an invitation from the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) ...more »

THE Korean capital Seoul last week witnessed hosting of an international conference to set up the Korea-Arab Society (KAS) with over 300 high profile government personalities, Korean officials and businessmen as well as Arab government officials and ...more »

THE Lebanese and Arabs from the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf have warmly and delightfully welcomed the agreement reached in Doha, the Qatari capital, on Wednesday, May 21, between the Lebanese government and the opposition. Despite th...more »

THE grave crisis witnessed recently in Lebanon nearly destroyed all that is green or dry, before the wisdom of the neutral Lebanese army prevailed after its immediate intervention. The army has succeeded in gaining control of all the battlefield area...more »

NO doubt, the hike in prices of basic commodities and foodstuff has become a global problem, which is hurting all countries around the world. The genie of inflation has grown so big that it has become the talk of the town, not just in the Sultanate o...more »

IN line with the directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, an Omani economic and business delegation, headed by H.E. Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the financial affairs and energy resources cou...more »

I HAVE been keenly following the Arab Media Forum and its seventh edition was held last week in Dubai under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president of the UAE and prime minister and ruler of Dubai. Over 500...more »

LAST week the world focused its attention on the Sultanate of Oman as the Olympic torch of the Beijing 2008 came to Muscat, which received it officially, and then publicly, with great fanfare. The fascinating ceremony that marked the relay run won Om...more »

The happening of two-day Oman Economic Forum, being organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ociped) and Al Iktissa...more »

A FEW months before the convening of 20th Arab Summit in Damascus, the US administration had started extensive contacts with its ally Israel for consultation and coordination of their moves to put a wrench in the works of summit in an attempt to make...more »

THE struggling Palestinian people, along with all Arabs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf, have warmly and enthusiastically welcomed the signing of a patch-up agreement between the Fatah and Hamas movements. The Sana’a Declaration is a signifi...more »

ALL Arabs are eagerly waiting for the Arab summit which will be held in the Syrian capital of Damascus by the end of this month. The summit comes at a time when several Arab states are going through tough times. The summit will have a number of i...more »

The Arabs and the world community at large aspire for the welfare and peace of humanity, underpinned as it is by universal love and sharing. Israel, on the other hand, hankers for conflicts and is raring to spread the seeds of hatred and evil all aro...more »

TWO weeks ago on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared war on the Palestinians vowing to launch nothing short of a holocaust in the Gaza Strip. Just a few hours after his statement, Israeli fighter jets, includi...more »

A FEW days ago, the European and Arab newspapers, including Times of Oman, published a report about a proposal by the European Commission for the introduction of a new system related to the visits of citizens of world nations, including the US, to Eu...more »

SINCE the end of 2007 the world has been reeling from spiralling prices of almost all commodities, especially basic food products. Several countries have tried to rein back soaring prices to no avail. In the Sultanate of Oman, however, the govern...more »

IN the recent past, the country has been going through difficult times due to the unnatural increase in the prices of basic food items and services. This has been compounded by steep hikes in rents. To the delight of all citizens, His Majesty Su...more »

SOME of the ministries and government departments, especially those providing services to the public, still follow antiquated methods in dispensing services to citizens, investors and other parties. These traditional methods invariably delay the c...more »

ARAB foreign ministers held an extraordinary meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo last week to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip and the presidential crisis in Lebanon. Just as well. But unfortunately, the meeting s...more »

ISRAEL has been in overdrive, perpetrating its atrocities in the Gaza Strip for over six months now. It has imposed a virtual siege on the whole swathe of Gaza. By closing border crossings and cutting supplies of food, energy and medicine, the Is...more »

THE Arab and international spotlight has shifted to the all-important session of the Lebanese parliament scheduled for tomorrow for the election of a president after having been postponed for no less than 12 times. The Arab League has been active...more »

OBSERVERS of the American foreign policy with regard to Iraq must have noticed how the US policy wonks have perpetrated a succession of serious mistakes in the last two decades. Examples are a legion but those committed during the Iran-Iraq war, ...more »

LAST Monday, the world bid farewell to an eventful 2007. True, the year 2007 has witnessed many positive developments that helped realise the dreams and goals of people across the world. The year 2007 has also seen a high degree of violence with conf...more »

THE recent visit by His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, deputy prime minister for the Council of Ministers and his delegation to the Republic of Singapore and India was historic in every sense of the word. The visit has indeed helped streng...more »

OMAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) is a beehive of sorts, always humming with a flurry of activities. The OCCI building, which is a unique architectural beauty, is located in the heart of the CBD area in Ruwi, Muscat. The OCCI branches ...more »

THE communiqué at the end of the 28th AGCC summit in the Qatari capital of Doha last week scored full marks and brought smiles on the faces of the Gulf citizens as it contained bold and far-reaching decisions capable of meeting their hopes and aspir...more »

TOMORROW will be a day of joy and pride for the Qatari citizens as they are all set to welcome the leaders of the AGCC states who will grace the 28th Gulf Summit in Doha, capital of the host nation. The citizens of all the AGCC states hope to gai...more »

THE Sultanate of Oman has become a shining picture of openness, which is a result of in-depth studies and meticulous planning in a number of fields, not least in the tourism sector. We have, of late, been witnessing a qualitative step-change in th...more »

THE other day, I came across a report on human rights in 2007, published by Amnesty International. I reviewed the report carefully in a bid to keep myself abreast of the human rights situation in a number of countries. As I was poring over the pa...more »

“THE features of our domestic and foreign policy are clear. We work for construction and development at home and, for friendship and peace, justice and harmony, coexistence and understanding, and positive constructive dialogue abroad.” His Majest...more »

THE results of the Majlis Al Shura elections, declared last week, deeply shocked the Omani woman as they went against all expectations. Out of the 632 candidates in the fray, 21 were females but, lamentably, none of them made it to the winners’...more »

The US has invited the Palestinian Authority, Israel and some Arab countries for an autumn peace conference due to be held at Annapolis, in the American state of Maryland next month. The conference is expected to review all aspects of the Israeli-Pal...more »

RECENTLY, Qalhat LNG Company won a magnificent international award — ‘The Best Energy Company of the Year 2006’ at the Petroleum Economist Awards conference held in London. Without doubt, the award is the result of tremendous efforts put in ...more »

In an unprecedented and dangerous political move in human history that shocked the entire world, the US Senate on September 26, passed by 75 votes against 23, a non-binding resolution, aiming to divide Iraq. The measure which was initiated by Demo...more »

IT was with great interest and relief that the citizens as well as expatriates of Oman greeted the decision of the Council of Ministers on September 18, imposing a cap on the rental rates for the next two years. The decision came on time to re-est...more »

I HAVE long observed, as others, the growing tendency among motorists to jump the red traffic signal. As everybody knows, the red signal is a must to save the lives of motorists and other road users. But it has no meaning for some motorists who a...more »

THE whole world demands that foreign troops pull out from Iraq, leaving the responsibility of governance to the sons of Iraqi soil. The reason: they have not achieved the goals for which they came to Iraq. Killings have become an everyday affair ...more »

THE Ministry of Manpower is on a massive drive to Omanise several professions according to a well-planned programme that would help our Omani youths prove their capabilities. Everywhere we witness brilliant performance by Omanis in posts previous...more »

NOWADAYS we see some of our youths flitting around in unusual attire, sporting weird haircuts. It seems they have binned all our customs and traditions as even in their conversations they use expressions in foreign languages though they are far f...more »

WHEN the USSR collapsed in the early nineties to form several states, almost everybody thought that Russia lost its power and global standing beyond the point of no return. Prior to the dismantling of the Soviet Union, Russia had been held in awe ...more »

THERE have been growing calls by the citizens and residents alike for urgent action to ease the traffic jam at the Darsait roundabout. Thousands of people have to cross this roundabout everyday on account of their work or other requirements. But the ...more »

THE international conference on the Middle East peace is currently the talk of the town. The conference, called by the United States, will be held next month in New York, where the Palestinians, Israelis and the countries sponsoring the peace proc...more »

WHEN Ehud Olmert had replaced Ariel Sharon as Israel’s prime minister, the Arabs had expected a softening of the Israeli policy on the Palestinian issue and a change in the boiling situation in the occupied territories which would open the doors fo...more »

A Thousand thanks and many rounds of applause to all the dedicated officials of the Muscat Municipality, headed by its chairman His Excellency Engineer Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, who is also the deputy chairman of the National Committee for Civil ...more »

DESPITE all precautionary measures taken by officials at the Directorate-General of Traffic of the Royal Oman Police under the leadership of His Excellency Lieutenant-General Malik bin Sulaiman Al Ma’amari, inspector-general of police and customs, ...more »

THE Ministry of Manpower, from time to time, issues rising Omanisation figures in every sector of the economy, which is good news to all, including the private sector. The statistics show that the Omanisation process is heading in the right dir...more »

THE United Nations saw the light of the day on October 24, 1945 to facilitate a system to ensure a secure, stable and prosperous world and; as per the charter, it had the exclusive authority to intervene and mediate in the conflict areas of the world...more »

EVEN the sky is not the limit for the hopes and aspirations of Arab citizens worldwide. Little wonder, they seek newer and newer development projects in all parts of the Arab world. And why not, the intellectual capabilities of the Arabs can rival th...more »

THE Sultanate’s taxi service is in for a total and delightful makeover. After a prolonged and in-depth study, the Muscat Municipal Council, last week, approved a new project that would put the Sultanate’s taxi service into top gear and will thus ...more »

COME June 1, 2007, the Sultanate’s residents will see the implementation of a cracking good project piloted by none other than the Royal Oman Police (ROP). The project aims to simplify the procedures following minor road accidents. This will, ...more »

THE visit of the Iranian President, Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the Sultantate of Oman, last week, was historic in every sense of the word. It represented an important milestone in the relations between the two countries. The relations are indeed ...more »

IT seems that various Arab countries and media companies in the Arab world are in an astonishing mad race for setting up satellite channels. Almost every day, we witness the birth of a new TV channel in the Arab countries. The future appears brig...more »

US President George W. Bush vetoed last Tuesday a bill stipulating a timeline for the commencement of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. President Bush said that he had to use his veto power as the members of the House of Representatives and the ...more »

EVER since the Omanisation process started, it has proved to be a success with Omani nationals registering their presence in pretty much all sectors. Statistics have confirmed that there is an exponential rise in Omanisation percentage. Entering ...more »

ALMOST every day we come across reports about the raging conflict in the US Congress on the issue of withdrawal of troops from Iraq. President George W. Bush insists on keeping the US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan indefinitely and has asked the Cong...more »

THE determination and perseverance of the people of Iran and their government to enter the nuclear club has made some Western countries come out with a new tactic to dissuade Tehran from going ahead with its nuclear programme. These countries are...more »

THE wise decision taken by Iran on the crisis sparked by the British sailors has surprised the whole world from east to west and won its respect and admiration. The way Tehran tackled the issue is a testament to its remarkable tolerance and high mora...more »

UNLIKE the previous Arab summits, the Arab League summit, held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh last Thursday, adopted the strongest and clearest resolutions by far commensurate with the aspirations of the Arab nation. If the previous Arab summits ...more »

RAINS are indeed welcome in the Sultanate as they are a blessing for the parched swathes of the country. But it has been our experience that when it rains heavily in the Muscat governorate and its suburbs, the citizens and the authorities concerned f...more »

THE first Palestinian unity government was finally formed last Thursday and approved by the Palestinian Legislative Council yesterday, indicating the remarkable and sincere efforts by all the Palestinians. Beyond doubt, this shows the love they h...more »

THE increment in the basic salaries of the government employees amounts to the proverbial stitch in time as it has been implemented at a time when the prices are rocketing up. It shows how much the government of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said...more »

THE Arabs and all the peace-loving people of the world felt shell-shocked by the verdict of the International Court of Justice last week that cleared the Serbian government of the charges of genocide during the Bosnian war. The decision ignores t...more »

THE Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia recently hosted a reconciliation meeting between the representatives of the Palestinian groups, Hamas and Fatah, in the holy city of Makkah. The meeting wa...more »

THE Islamic Republic of Iran is a sovereign country, and as such, it has complete freedom in conducting its internal affairs. It is also an active member of the United Nations and other international organisations. Iran is striving to achieve its...more »

FOLLOWING the royal instructions of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, a symposium on the sustainable development of agriculture and labour market began yesterday at the royal camp in Seih Al Rasiyat, wilayat of Sumail. It is being held under th...more »

THE world has witnessed many exciting sporting events since the ‘Viewpoint’ came into existence in the year 2000. Throughout these seven years, I have not touched upon a sport-related issue. But this time I have been so greatly enchanted ...more »

THE prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, deservedly awarded to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said a few days ago is indeed another glorious feather in our beloved leader’s cap. In fact, His Majesty the Sultan’s trac...more »

THROUGHOUT our 20-year observation of the Arab-Israeli conflict, we have noticed, as have others, a clear Israeli dominance. Israel has achieved a first round knock-out in the conflict. It always acts unilaterally, according to its own plan, turning ...more »

FORMER UN secretary-general Kofi Annan tried his level best to carry out reforms in the premier world body. He also tried to steer the UN in a manner that would help maintain the objectives for which it was founded in 1945. He put in his best eff...more »

THE world welcomed New Year, last Monday, with widespread celebrations through various rituals. The revelry reflected the warm welcome, in all languages, to the newest guest, Year 2007, as every heart was full of hope and ambition, with peace, se...more »

THE United Nations Security Council has recently issued a demand for Iran to stop its uranium enrichment programme. The demand has all the hint of an order which requires Tehran to carry out what it is told within three months, or else, several punit...more »

THE focus of the Arab world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf, has shifted to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, which hosts the 18th Arab summit starting on Tuesday. Much is expected of the summit as the world is witnessing tempestuous events lea...more »

LATE last week, Hamas announced the end of tension and chaos in the Gaza Strip after two days of armed confrontation with activists of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of the Fatah Movement and the Palestinian police. The confrontations followed accusati...more »

MUSCAT Municipality is a highly respected name in Oman and a key player in the country's development. Having played a vital role all these years, it has made significant achievements that stand as a shining example of proper planning, dedication to w...more »

Last week the world witnessed the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, which began with air raids by F-16 jets and heavy artillery, knocking off Palestine�s bridges, power stations, airports, water reservoirs and even playgrounds. The air raids pav...more »

Every day, we witness both electronic and print media launching fierce attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran on the issue of uranium enrichment at the Bushehr nuclear plant. In fact, Iran is left to fend off relentless attacks pretty much from a...more »

EVERY day, alarming events are on the rise in Iraq, increasing complexity at both political and security levels. The death rate of innocent people is mounting as the US and Iraqi troops start executing their security plans, within or outside Baghdad,...more »

LAST week, the crisis over the Iranian nuclear programme escalated dramatically, and snowballed further when US President George W. Bush threatened to use force against Iran, following the Iranian government�s announcement of its determination to res...more »

LAST Wednesday a military judge rejected the guilty plea of US soldier Lynndie England, dubbed by the American and world press as the heroine of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, and declared a mistrial. Lynndie England is notorious for the pictures of ...more »

THE Arab Summit recently held in Algeria has taken a decision to re-activate the Arab initiative that aims at normalisation of relations with Israel if it withdraws its troops from all occupied lands in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon as well as recogni...more »

ARABS as well as other peace-loving people of the world are closely watching with deep sadness what is now happening in Iraq. The statistics of the daily killings no more shock the innocent Iraqi civilians as they are now a routine affair in thei...more »

THE past week witnessed a summit of paramount importance to Muslim and Arab countries across the globe. The summit, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and held in the holy city of Makkah, was attended by the leaders and representatives of the Orga...more »

THE shares of Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) have entered the second phase of trading on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) with foreign companies and investors being permitted to deal in within the framework of an economic vision which op...more »

ON Monday and Tuesday last week, the Majlis Al Shura listened in rapt attention to a statement made by Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, on the economic ...more »

SINCE the establishment of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the pace of progress has not slowed down. In fact, the wheel of progress has been running relentlessly 24-hour a day. The duties of the ministry cover many areas including smoot...more »

MUSLIMS all over the world, from East to West, have strongly reacted to the anti-Islam remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI, taking a unanimous stance against what they see as poor understanding of their religion. Protest demonstrations were organise...more »

IT was well over three decades ago that the Sultanate started its journey from 'can I to I can'. The dawn of the blessed Renaissance has since given birth to a modern, vibrant and wonderful Oman. The government of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said h...more »

HISTORY tells us that if you want greater returns on your investment, invest in education. You will have both today and tomorrow by your side. During the last three-and-a-half decades the Sultanate of Oman has witnessed a revolution in the educat...more »

THE proof of the pudding lies in eating, they say. The ongoing development, which has currently gone into the overdrive, all over Oman provides enough proof that the country is well set on the road to progress and prosperity. Helpfulness and honesty ...more »

Khareef Salalah Festival 2006 will conclude this Thursday capping one-and-half months of sheer excitement that saw Dhofar Governorate witness countless commuters plying its roads as a large numbers of tourists from in and outside the Sultanate flocke...more »

ON August 3, British police foiled a plot to blow up 17 planes bound for the United States. Taking swift action, Britain�s intelligence officials arrested the group, who were preparing to inflict a catastrophe that would have killed thousands of inno...more »

The current conflict in Lebanon offers Arabs a historic opportunity, on a plate of gold, to redefine their relationship with Israel. They can now redraw the region�s map in a new shape that reflects the true status of Israel. One must take into consi...more »

FOR the twelfth consecutive day Israel continues its intensive bombardment and air strikes on Lebanon, leaving behind a tragic trail of death and destruction. During an emergency meeting of his cabinet last Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud...more »

EARLY morning on Thursday, the Lebanese people were shocked to see Israeli jets raining bombs on Beirut airport, bridges and other infrastructure facilities in clear violation of UN conventions and international treaties. Even villages were...more »

THE pressing need for the Arab nation today is, without doubt, the acquisition of nuclear arms. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa�s call during the 18th Arab Summit in Khartoum last week for Arabs to join the nuclear club for peaceful purp...more »

ALL Palestinian resistance groups have taken a united stand in rejecting the continuance of the ceasefire resolution agreed upon at a Cairo meeting in March last year aimed at ending the Israeli aggression in the occupied territories and paving the w...more »

EVER since the Israeli onslaught on Lebanon started on July 12, the whole world has been watching one gruesome act of terror after the other by the Zionists almost on a daily basis. However, the biggest shock was delivered last Sunday, July 30, when ...more »

THE US administration continues to provide Israel, its closest ally, with the most advanced weapons including the sophisticated Smart and Cluster bombs to be used in its continued war against Lebanon in much the same way they were used against the in...more »

THE world focus seems to have shifted to the abduction of an Israeli soldier by the Palestinian fighters. It has created something of an international crisis. The Israeli government has declared war on the Palestinians and sent troops to invade the G...more »

IN a recent appearance on German TV, US President George Bush showed a desire for closing down the accursed Guantanamo prison. This is no surprise considering the spate of criticism coming almost daily from various human rights organisations and peac...more »

TV channels and newspapers provide us with news of the atrocious crimes perpetrated against the Palestinians by the Israelis on a daily basis. The Israeli enemy�s latest massacre of the Palestinian people, including women and children, shows that ...more »

THE US administration has always called for the spread of democracy across the globe and exhorted all to respect this system of governance. But the real face of democracy, which the US advocates, has come to the surface when the Dubai Ports World rec...more »

THE two-day Omani-Lebanese Business Forum, which was inaugurated yesterday morning, has indeed provided a great opportunity for discussions on various issues in different fields. The forum will certainly increase trade exchanges between the Sultanate...more »

Let me start with a question to the United Nations. Which is the occupying country, Palestine or Israel? It is imperative that Israel withdraws from the occupied territories before Palestine being declared an independent state existing side-by-si...more »

THE desire to get married is natural and it certainly represents a happy milestone in one�s life. Here in Oman, the youths face a slew of constraints in the form of dowry and other expenses required for conducting a wedding ceremony according to ...more »

THE insistence of the US along with allied forces to enter Iraq and the ousting of the former regime were not accomplished for the benefit of the Iraqis. The continued presence of the coalition forces, too, is not aimed at doing any good to Iraq. ...more »

ARABS and Muslims are viewed by the West as basket cases, a section of people on our planet who are unable to keep abreast of the global development march. This is the feeling an Arab or Muslim gets when he/she visits Western countries. And this is c...more »

NO doubt, people by nature try to make friends and not enemies. It�s only a corollary then that countries that have strained relations seek to build bridges with each other. There are, of course, numerous ways of cultivating friendship like, for e...more »

THE Islamic Republic of Iran and its people from coast to coast whooped with joy when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced to the world on April 11 that his country joined the nuclear club. In fact, it was a day of double delight for the Irani...more »

LAST week, American capital Washington, D.C., received Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, followed by President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), within the framework of what the American administration called boosting the pea...more »

LAST week, the Kingdom of Bahrain hosted the first general assembly of the Gulf Press Union, which was attended by most editors-in-chief and representatives of press establishments in the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council states. There, the formation ...more »

THE people of Lebanon gave a clear and decisive verdict (�no� to UN Resolution 1559 and �yes� to the Taif agreement) through the massive demonstrations organised by Lebanese parties loyal to Syria, headed by the Hezbollah Party, in Beirut last Tuesda...more »

SYRIAN President Dr Bashar Al Asaad, in his speech last night before the Syrian People�s Council, announced full withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, to be carried out in stages in accordance with the Taif agreement and UN Resolution 1559. His a...more »

LAST Wednesday the first stage of the third National Manpower Employment Seminar concluded in the wilayat of Shinas with the participation of a number of ministers concerned as well as many officials from the private sector amid wide attendance of ci...more »

LAST Thursday, a summit was held in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, to discuss the relief operations mounted by the international community for the tsunami victims of south and southeast Asia. The killer tsunami, unprecedented in recent history, str...more »

THE British government has launched a new peace initiative in a bid to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Entitled �London Conference�, it will be held in March next year with the participation of the Palestinian Authority, Israel and the count...more »

THE independent Election Commission of Iraq issued a decision last Wednesday, which makes it very clear that Iraq will go to polls on January 30, 2005. This is despite the fact that violence has increased in most of the cities. The commission has ann...more »

SINCE the death of Palestinian Authority�s President Yasser Arafat, there has been an outpouring of condolences and mourning from within Palestine and outside in an expression of grief, love and respect towards a great Arab leader who fought till the...more »

THE formation of the Palestinian government by the Hamas movement is a result of free and fair elections. This means that the Palestinian people have complete confidence in the ability of Hams to rule over them. But this triumph is considered by m...more »

THE entire world was shocked by the Israeli raid on Jericho jail last week, which was carried out with the complete backing of the US and Britain. The collusion of these countries in the Israeli plot led to the attack of the jail and capture of Ahmed...more »

RECENT events have shed lurid light on the US administration�s policy of using two yardsticks for similar issues, exposing its true face in the process. This policy of double standards has, obviously, nothing to do with justice, equality, honesty or ...more »

IT is disgusting enough to know that a Danish newspaper has recently published the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). And to add insult to injury, several European publications have reprinted them. Well, this is evil in the extr...more »

AS they say, every good thing has to come to an end. And so it was with Muscat Festival 2006 which showcased an exquisite tapestry of life not just in Oman. It was a microcosm of sorts of the world itself with performers from different parts of the g...more »

NO doubt, Muscat city is the pride of Oman and its road network is the envy of the neighbouring countries. But given the increasing volume of traffic at a few strategic points, some kinks are inevitable which can be ironed out to make the traffic smo...more »

HAMAS has indeed pulled off a stunning victory in the elections to the Palestinian parliament. When the central committee of elections confirmed that Hamas garnered the majority of seats in parliament there was boundless joy and jubilation among the ...more »

ISRAEL has shamelessly gatecrashed into Iran�s nuclear row and started to play a new role as if it is concerned with the security and peace in the Middle East just like the UN organisations and the world�s superpower. They, as we all know, are trying...more »

THE good news of the beginning of the year 2006 has aptly spotlighted the Guantanamo prison issue. For the first time, Amnesty International, a world-renowned human rights organisation, has asked the US administration to open an inquiry into the n...more »

CAIRO, the Egyptian capital, last Tuesday, witnessed the birth of the first Arab parliament under the umbrella of the Arab League. It comprises 88 members representing all parliaments and shura councils of the Arab countries. The parliament is ind...more »

THE issue of withdrawal of US troops from Iraq has been in the spotlight for quite sometime owing to worldwide protests, in particular from the people of America. Though the Bush administration has made it clear that it intends to cut the size of...more »

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signalled a radical change in his political life when he announced last Monday his decision to pull out of the Likud Party despite a 32-year-long association with it. He has formed a new party which will contes...more »

HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has given generous royal directives to pardon 31 prisoners convicted in the case of the banned secret organisation as from last Thursday evening. The State Security Court convicted them on May 2 of attempting to ove...more »

YESTERDAY our country witnessed the launch of Al Madina Al Zarqa project, under the auspices of Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council. Al Madina Al Zarqa ...more »

The people of Palestine elected Abu Mazen president of the Palestine Authority as the successor of the late Yasser Arafat in the poll held last week. Abu Mazen won the confidence of the Palestinians, defeating the other candidates with a wide margin....more »

THE UN Security Council recently adopted Resolution No. 1559, tabled by the US and France, demanding the withdrawal of the Syrian forces from Lebanon and the disarming of Lebanese militias, aimed at, what it termed, protecting Lebanese sovereignty. ...more »

LAST Friday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution giving the Sudanese government 30 days to resolve the humanitarian and security crisis in Darfur region. The resolution, sponsored by the US, contained a warning to the Sudanese government tha...more »

LAST Friday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution giving the Sudanese government 30 days to resolve the humanitarian and security crisis in Darfur region. The resolution, sponsored by the US, contained a warning to the Sudanese government tha...more »

TEN days ago the Philippines was in the grip of a hostage crisis involving one of its citizens, Angelo de la Cruz, who was abducted by an armed group in Iraq. The Philippine capital was shaken by the news that spread throughout the world in no time. ...more »

LAST week, the International Court of Justice in The Hague delivered a strong indictment of the Israeli government over the illegal construction of a wall on Palestinian land. The world court has very rightly rejected all the excuses, allegations...more »

Dr Mohammed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, paid a surprise visit to Israel last week, the purpose of which was to convince the Jewish state to join the list of states that have signed the Nuclear non-Proliferation Trea...more »

JUNE 28, 2004, shall remain strong in the minds of various groups and sects of the people of Iraq as a historic day. This day witnessed a surprise step when the occupying forces handed over power to the interim Iraqi leadership, two days ahead of ...more »

THE Central Bank of Oman (CBO) recently issued a circular, laying down new, strict and positive measures to combat the phenomenon of bounced cheques. Over the last ten years, the number of bounced cheques in various banking transactions in the Su...more »

THE schools would close after four days at the end of academic year, following great efforts by our children who worked hard, day and night, to achieve the best results. Now it is time for summer vacation, which extends for nearly three months. O...more »

THE tourism sector in the Sultanate recently witnessed well-studied growth in accordance with precise plans and prudent measures. The aim has been the building of a strong and sound infrastructure for the sector to provide it with a platform for t...more »

LAST week Iraq witnessed a significant national event that is a turning point in its history whereas His Excellency Ghazi Al Yawar was sworn in as the first president of Iraq in the new era after the previous regime. Immediately, a new government was...more »

SINCE Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands, it has never stopped committing heinous crimes as history tells us of a series of ghastly massacres of unarmed, innocent Palestinian civilians by the Jewish army. The rate of Israeli crimes has shot ...more »

THURSDAY, May 13, was a great day for the people of India as their country witnessed an extraordinary event and a historic moment in its political process. On that day, the Congress party, under Sonia Gandhi � the leader, saint and giant of new India...more »

THE coalition forces, led by the US, stepped into Iraq in April 2003. The goal, we were told, was liberation of Iraq from the previous regime, and President George W. Bush promised that the coalition forces would withdraw soon after. Ever since, unfo...more »

REALISATION of the self is said to be acquired during man�s lifetime. If that be so, what type of life does one lead in this world after he has realised his self? If the self is one, how is it that men of realisation do not conduct themselves uniform...more »

THE Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad has sparked off an explosive scandal that has shown the true colours of the coalition forces as well as opening a file on the torture of Iraqi prisoners of war. Over five consecutive days, international satellite tele...more »

THE chain of assassinations carried out by Israel of Hamas leaders and heads of the Palestinian intifada continues unbridled with well-drawn-out plans, indicating that Israel is hell bent on its policy of bloodbath. International terrorist Ariel ...more »

IT was expected that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would surprise the world with a decision to expand the settlements by building more housing units in the West Bank. The decision to build 1,001 new housing units is an attempt at appeasing t...more »

SINCE last Wednesday, Iraq has begun implementing its first democratic process following the removal of the previous regime. The Iraqi National Congress, comprising all political spectrums, has concluded its sessions, electing 81 of the 100 membe...more »

OMANI heritage � rich, diverse and representative of a great civilisation and innovations of generations � has always received, and shall continue to receive, care and patronage from all sectors and at levels. Culture and heritage have always been gi...more »

INTERNATIONAL terrorist and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had himself designed the plot to assassinate Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, founder of the Hamas movement and spiritual leader. Not just that, he then personally supervised the stages of the horre...more »

THE people of Spain, and the rest of the world, watched, heard and followed, with pain and shock, the explosions at train stations in Madrid last week. The blasts killed and wounded a large number of people and caused huge material losses, raising ra...more »

STRANGE are the ways of the world. Puzzling is its stands riddled with many blatant contradictions and, in many cases, far from logic and justice. Many countries, the United Nations, the Security Council and many other international organisations ...more »

RECENTLY, much talk was going on among ranking officials in the US administration about democracy and how it should be implemented in all Arab countries. To them, American democracy is the only ray of hope for the Arab world � a democracy that they c...more »

ISRAEL has, for years, been defying international law and UN resolutions, behaving as it wishes in total disregard to the whole world. The latest of its inhuman and arrogant acts is the building of a barrier of racial segregation. The wall is ...more »

FOR more than a decade, the Arabs, from the ocean to the Gulf, have been waiting with eagerness and patience for the promised Arabic television channel with the Western audience in mind. The channel was to portray the true image of the Arabs, focusin...more »

MUSCAT Festival 2004 is a great success. The response from the public has been overwhelming. The visitors � from within the country and abroad � have been flocking to the various venues of the festival, and their number has already swelled to a whopp...more »

THE decision taken by the Japanese government to send its troops to Iraq has been received by the whole world with shock and disbelief. This unexpected step from Japan has surprised everyone who stands on the side of justice. The Japanese citizen...more »

THE fog that was created by biased media campaigns, distortion and optimistic statements has finally lifted, and the American people have woken up to the reality in Iraq and the sorry state of affairs of their soldiers there. The American people ...more »

TOMORROW marks the first day of a month of merriment, with the streets of Muscat wearing a festive look and the air filled with the smell of fragrance and spirit of enthusiasm, when the Muscat Festival, organised by Muscat Municipality, will be offic...more »

THIS is in continuation of what we published in this column on December 22, 2002, under the caption �The euro pushing dollar into early retirement�, and on May 25, 2003, under the title �The Euro: World�s future currency�. In the two articles we ...more »

THREE days ago, the world bid farewell to the year 2003. It was a year saturated with good as well as bad things. It was a year full of controversial, sometimes shocking, events and situations. Whichever way the people dissect the year 2003, we know ...more »

THE private sector, no doubt, appreciates the decision issued by the Ministry of Manpower last week, cancelling a previous one that prevented the citizens working in the private sector from joining the government sector. The ministry said the dec...more »

LAST Sunday, Baghdad witnessed a dangerous development, perpetrated by Iraqi armed resistance groups. In a statement on the Internet, one of these groups claimed responsibility for the explosions that targeted five churches in Baghdad and one in Mosu...more »

THE extensive media coverage on the will of a member of the Birla family got me pondering over the pros and cons of having too much wealth, in this case running into mind-boggling millions. I thought of other multi-billionaires I have known and asked...more »

FIVE-YEAR plans form a key part of the economic strategy of the Sultanate as they help the government focus its time, energy and money on the economic development of the nation, and ultimately, the overall wellbeing of the citizens. The speech del...more »

THE Gulf spotlight has now shifted to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, where the 26th Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) summit kicks off today amid soaring hopes of the Gulf citizens. The leaders of the AGCC countries will discuss a host of topi...more »

THE Sultanate of Oman is brimming with boundless joy these days celebrating the 35th glorious National Day and the blessed Renaissance under the wise guidance and leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, the builder of this young nation. His Majesty ...more »

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon continues to challenge all international pacts and conventions by stating through the mass media that he will never hesitate to wipe out all activists of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jiha...more »

THE Royal Speech, delivered by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said before the opening session of the annual meeting of the Council of Oman on October 2, is still echoeing in the various local institutions, particularly the educational institutions con...more »

I WAS expecting radical changes in the cast of principal actors and the revolutionary roles the BJP would play in speeding up the country�s march to prosperity. I was sorely disappointed; it was no more than a one-act drama earlier staged by Madan La...more »

Last week a British judge issued an arrest warrant against Reserve Major-General Doron Almog, Israel�s former military commander for south Isreal. The arrest warrant was issued on war crimes charges on the basis of a case filed by a London-based ...more »

THIS day four years ago the US came under what is now termed 9/11, which killed and injured thousands of innocent people, both military and civilian. The 9/11 attacks targeted the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and the headquarters...more »

HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said�s government has been implementing its wise policies aimed at absorbing a large number of General Certificate graduates, both male and female, who could not continue further studies at specialised universities and ...more »

THE Israeli occupation forces have been implementing the Sharon government�s decision of evacuating Jewish settlers from the whole of the Gaza Strip after the expiry of a grace period last Tuesday midnight. The occupation forces have resorted to ...more »

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair has stressed again his country�s plans to hold an international conference to discuss ways to �snuff out terrorism� following the attacks in London on July 7 and 21, 2005. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak echoed ...more »

THE summit of the Group of Eight rich nations, which concluded at Gleneagles in Scotland last Friday, announced a slew of decisions in response to the pressure exerted on it by the protests in the British streets. The leaders of the rich, industr...more »

THE wise government of the Sultanate has once again taken a fresh step in its economic policy that aims at diversification of income sources and freeing the economy from its dependence on oil. This new step was the recent visit to Japan and South...more »

IN this column, I had written two articles on the continuous rise in the price of oil and the quick and sharp fall in the value of the dollar. The title of the first article, published on December 22, 2002, was �The euro pushes dollar into early reti...more »

LAST Tuesday, the UN Security Council issued a statement, urging Syria again to implement Resolution 1559, calling for the withdrawal of the Syrian forces from Lebanon and preservation of the unity, integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The Secur...more »

ALL of us keenly watched the debate in Arizona last Thursday between President George W. Bush, the Republican candidate, and his Democratic rival John Kerry, as part of the hot race in the US presidential election scheduled for early November. The de...more »

THE US used the right of veto last Tuesday at the UN Security Council against a draft resolution presented by the Arab group aimed at stopping Israel from carrying out its horrible acts of crimes in the Gaza Strip that killed and injured many people,...more »

IRAQI Prime Minister Iyad Alawi said in his recent speech before the US Congress that Iraqi elections would be held as scheduled in early January 2005 and that the current situation in Iraq would not prevent Iraqis from participating in the long-awai...more »

YESTERDAY was the third anniversary of September 11 attacks that targeted the biggest cities in the US. The planning, timing and execution was well organised, and the use of US civilian planes to reach the targets surprised the Americans and the rest...more »

THE Royal Oman Police took a gigantic step last Monday when it launched the ambulance unit service for the rescue of the injured in road accidents, opening a bright, new page in its record of glorious achievements. The ambulances are well equippe...more »

LAST week the Lebanese capital, Beirut, witnessed another political assassination attempt that targeted Elias Murr, former interior minister and defence minister in the outgoing Lebanese cabinet. The brother-in-law of President Emile Lahoud and s...more »

THE citizens have given an overwhelming response to the initial public offering (IPO) of Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel), the shares of which have been offered to public subscription for the first time. A total of 225 million shares are...more »

LAST Wednesday the first summit between Arab and South American countries issued its final communiqu� after rounds of meetings and discussions that lasted for two days in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. Only a few Arab leaders and their represen...more »

LAST Tuesday, the Syrian troops completed their withdrawal from Lebanon. The last Syrian soldier left the Bekaa Valley at the Syrian-Lebanese border amid a farewell ceremony attended by military and security officials from both countries. The Syrian ...more »

LAST Wednesday, the state security court concluded its final investigation with members of a banned secret organisation who were arrested recently. The court listened to the statements of 31 suspects during the three sessions it held since last Monda...more »

LAST Monday the Chinese capital Beijing hosted the Chinese-Arab Economic Forum 2005, which was attended by a large number of businessmen representing 22 Arab states as well as senior officials from the Secretariat-General of the Arab League. All o...more »

THE American presidential commission set up to investigate US intelligence failures on weapons of mass destruction the previous Iraqi regime was accused of possessing, and which started the war that is still going on, submitted its report to Presiden...more »

THE 17th Arab summit, held last Tuesday and Wednesday in Algeria, calmly ended with a unanimous agreement to reactivate the Arab initiative for peace with Israel, which was adopted in the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut. The Arab peace initiative includ...more »

A NEW virus, the Downloader-WJ, is on the prowl. It is not widely known yet but being aware and safe is better than being sorry. How does it work, and how to identify it is what I will concentrate today. Like other viruses, the Downloader-WJ arrives ...more »

THE Sultanate has achieved 70 per cent success in negotiations on the articles of a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the US over three days last week. Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry, led the negotiations on behalf of the ...more »

THESE days the citizens of the Sultanate are enjoying indescribable happiness as their hearts are filled with sublime joy and pride on the occasion of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said�s annual meet-the-people tour. His Majesty the Sultan has ho...more »

LAST Wednesday, Lebanon bid farewell to its martyr, former prime minister Rafiq Al Hariri, who was assassinated in the heart of Beirut. The Arabs and the whole world condemned the crime. The Lebanese organised a solemn funeral, in which tens of t...more »

THE summit began and ended in a day at Sharm El Sheikh last Tuesday, hosted by Egypt and attended by four leaders: President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, King Abdullah II of Jordan, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister o...more »

TODAY, most Iraqis go to the polls set up in many Iraqi cities to cast their votes in the first elections conducted after the fall of the previous regime. They will elect a parliament that would select a new government formed from various Iraqi polit...more »

IN just 28 days, Iraq will go to polls to elect 275 members for the National Assembly, which will be entrusted with the task of framing a constitution for the country so that, later on, the people can elect a permanent government. The interim governm...more »

THE world media has recently focused on the open-door policy China adopts on the economic front, which is marked by excellent relations with all countries. More importantly, political considerations do not come its way. China has made investments wor...more »

IN a recent, unambiguous statement given by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, his government has declared its willingness to start unconditional negotiations with Israel to establish peace in the region. This statement received tremendous response fr...more »

COLIN Powell is set to leave his office after officially submitting his resignation to President George W. Bush as US secretary of state and will not be a part of President Bush�s team in his new term beginning early January 2005. President Bush ha...more »

THE curtain descended on the American presidential election on Wednesday with George W. Bush winning a second term of four years at the White House by defeating his Democratic rival John F. Kerry. The campaign was fierce and voting tense in most ...more »

THE International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently concluded its meeting in Vienna, the Austrian capital, and issued a statement giving Iran a grace period till November 25, 2004, to stop its activities of enriching uranium. Obviously, the deci...more »