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 United States of America. Obama succeeds Republican President George W. Bush, whose term ends on Janua...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 »

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