MUSCAT // The Omani government said yesterday it will spend about 1 billion rials (Dh9.5bn) to address protesters' demands made during two months of demonstrations. Oman's ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, has also promised 50,000 new civil servant jobs with higher wages. The spending boost is a centrepiece of efforts to quell two months of sporadic demonstrations for more jobs and a greater political voice in the monarchy.
The protests have also influenced bloggers, who are becoming more vocal.
"Bloggers would not have gone this far if it was not for the success of the protests. Young people need to let out the steam of frustrations one way or another and that's why blogging is popular among them," said Mohammed Al Shirawi, a blogger at the popular site sablatoman.com. Bloggers are now freely discussing the state of affairs on websites such as omanforum.com, on Twitter and Facebook without fear of retribution. In the past, the information ministry was known to harass bloggers.
"A year ago, the mention of a cabinet minister in a bad light would have been punished. But now people express their opinion and debate in a healthy way knowing that government officials are not faultless," said Ahmed Al Harthy, who is frequently discussing the political situation in Oman on Facebook with friends.
"There's no stopping bloggers now. They would continue to express themselves to improve the country. The current serving ministers would now know that they are being monitored and they cannot get away with corruption or any kind of abuse. With the blessings of His Majesty the Sultan, bloggers will continue to debate for the good of the country," said Hamood Al Amri, a blogger at sablatoman.com.
salshaibany@thenational.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now